Friendships, Former Foes, and Unexpected Feelings
by Speedy Speck
Summary: Tifa Lockhart isn't happy when Rufus Shinra starts invading her life, but when she begins to see another side to the young blonde, is it all too good to be true?...Please R
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy does not belong to me...however much I may like it to. I own no characters, places etc. etc. so please don't sue me! I'm a nice person :)

Author's Note: This is my fifty-third fanfic...And it is my first ever chaptered fic! Ahhh! I'm quite nervous...Can I actually pull this off?...Maybe...I do hope so :)...PLEASE review as I really enjoy reading your views and they inspire me to get better! It would make me very very happy! Anyway stop reading this and get on with reading the fic! Hope you enjoy! :)

Prologue

The city of Edge was covered in darkness, the night sky coloured a deep sapphire blue with wisps of smoky grey, caused by the thick clouds gently rolling across the twilight, hiding the pale white orb from view to nearly anyone attempting to find it, so now the tiny twinkling stars were all that was bringing a slight light to help guide the way for any late night walkers out on the murky streets.

Only one building in the whole city still seemed to be alight, and it stood right in the centre, shining like a ominous beacon to all who chose to search it out.

On the outskirts of Edge the streets seemed to have been coated in a pure black sheet of heavy material, which also brought a complete silence to the area, giving the place an eerie feel, almost as if it was secretly haunted by soundless spirits.

Inside one particular street, sat the small bar Seventh Heaven, the outside decorated in wood of the darkest brown, the shade so close to black that customers often argued over the actual colour.

It was closed now, the tables void of dirty glasses and heaving drunks, the air inside the bar clear of smoke and fumes brought in from the vehicles that had previously pasted outside.

Above the bar was a flat, a slightly small, very quaint, yet still quite beautiful, flat which always smelled of warming spices, which was caused by the occupant's constant desire to burn the special orange candles that could only be bought from a small corner stall on the midweek market held a few streets away.

The place was quiet, the rooms still, unmoving, as if they ceased to exist, ceased to be part of someone's life unless they were being used.

Only one room seemed to be possessed by a living form, tucked away in the back, between the kitchen and the bathroom, where the windows let in the smallest glimmer of starlight and the slightest of noises escaped from the creaking furniture.

The young woman shifted uneasily in her sleep, clutching at the covers as her head pushed itself deeper into the pillow, attempting to shut out the images whirling inside her head.

Glistening beads of cold sweat formed on her skin, causing her forehead to shine as she arched her eyebrows, her body reacting to the things playing out in her mind during her troubled sleep.

Her deep brown locks curled against the whiteness of the duvet as she turned her head yet again, trying to bring comfort to her racing heart.

The brunette's eyes shot open in a sudden rush of fearful energy, revealing her rusty orbs to the ceiling, and in an unseen movement she found herself sitting up, her form rigid with both shock and desperate pleading, the young woman wanting to free herself from the heavy burden of fear the dream...the nightmare had brought.

Her breathing was almost non-existent, the shirt covering her body rising and falling with the slowest elegance.

When the young woman had calmed herself to a reasonable state, so that her heart had slowed and no longer felt like a painful creature ripping its way through her chest, she thumped back down against the soft mattress, letting her hair spill onto the smooth material like the dropping of paint on a newly laid carpet.

It wasn't long before she'd curled into a ball, her comfort levels needing to be raised more so than when she'd originally fell into the bed that night. No matter how hard she tried her mind was still unable to block every image...every memory of the nightmare from her tired mind.

She let her rusty orbs drift over the empty space beside her, it looked so cold and bare, unlike it should be.

The brunette didn't know how to stop the crystal clear tears that formed, forcing her vision to become hazy and then proceeding to trickle down her pale skin, forming a damp patch on the large pillow pressed firmly against her face.

The night seemed so dark and endless and she was alone, completely alone in her room, in her flat and in her mind.

She knew when she awoke her head would seem clearer and the future would seem brighter, her friends would bring her that brief rush of want and happiness, while the bar would fill her with a ambitious desire that nothing else would be able to awaken within her.

But the night was different. It was the only time she was alone, without the presence of anything or anyone to help calm her troubled thoughts.

Every day she wished it would never arrive, tiny monsters of dread creeping into the back of her mind, telling her it would come again and again. And every time it felt like it would go on forever.

The loneliness of the endless night.

* * *

In the centre of Edge, the solitary building stood, lit up and looming over the smaller structures surrounding it. Inside dim lights glowed, lending just enough visibility for any worker still present there.

But every corridor seemed like a desolate wasteland, the odd painting or decorative plant were the only things that breathed life into the barren space.

Only one worker was present in the immense building, up on the seventieth floor, where the singular most important room was situated.

The door was made of the finest oak, the surface shined to perfection, and the golden letters painted across the glassy surface that was held in the centre, revealed the room's occupant.

Past the entrance, the office was a pristine space, everything beautifully sculptured and perfectly placed. Opposite the door lay a large window, covering nearly the entire wall. The dark silhouette of the night sky was broken by the presence of a generously sized desk, by which a young man sat, as he read the black thin text covering the glowing screen sitting on the surface in front of him.

His blonde hair fell forward across his pale blue eyes as he tilted his head in concentration. He didn't need to be there, his working day had finished before the city even began to get dark.

He'd stayed, stayed in an attempt to keep his mind awake, and away from the depressive thoughts that only the night-time darkness could bring.

But he knew he couldn't stay there forever, it wouldn't be long until he'd have to abandon his office for the cold, emptiness of his home, that had never really felt like a home.

The young man would hear the soft click of his heels against the polished wooden surface, echoing throughout the rooms, and corridors, the sound like a warning of just how alone he had become.

The night seemed so dark and endless and he was alone, completely alone, in the building, in the corridor, and in his life.

He knew that as soon as the pale morning light shone across the city his mind would feel calmer, the Turks would bring him amusement and friendly company, while the business would relieve his ambitious nature and concentrate his superior mind.

But the night was different. It was the only time he was alone, without the presence of anything or anyone to distract him from the uncomfortable thoughts whirling in his mind.

Every day be would stay behind at the office, wishing to push back the inevitable, the walls closing in around him, locking him away from the unknown company he wanted so badly. And every time it felt like it would go on forever.

The loneliness of the endless night.

* * *

A/N= You have no idea how tempted I was to make this a one-shot! Bad habits I think... but I managed to dissuade myself! This I guess is kinda prologue... just giving the reader an insight into each character's life, but don't worry not every chapter is gunna be all dark and actionless like this ;) this is just setting the scene if you will...and the epilogue will be of a similar style!


	2. Chapter One: Of Butterflies and Bars

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy does not belong to me...however much I may like it to. I own no characters, places etc. etc. so please don't sue me! I'm a nice person :)

Author's Note: Wow you've decided to go on and read the first chapter! Many cookies for you :)...PLEASE review as I really enjoy reading your views and they inspire me to get better! It would make me very very happy! Anyway stop reading this and get on with reading the fic! Hope you enjoy! :)

**Chapter One: Of Butterflies and Bars**

The brunette sighed as she pulled her hair up, fastening it in place with the beautiful emerald green hair clip the young ninja had just given her. The item stood out against her dark locks with a shining brilliance, the tiny butterflies decorating the clip drew the eye in, dazzling the mind with its spectacular detail.

Tifa turned around and posed slightly for her youthful friend, ''How does it look?''

The ninja clapped her hands energetically and a wide smile graced her face as she admired her gift on its recipient, ''It looks stunning Tif! See, I told you I had great taste!''

The young woman gave a small chuckle while letting her eyes shift to the blonde sitting in the corner of the living room, busy reading a book she didn't recognise.

''What do you think Cloud?'' Her warm smile remained but a nervous flicker lit up in the depths of her rusty eyes.

His gaze met her form for the briefest of seconds before returning his bright orbs to the book on his lap, ''It looks fine.''

The brunette couldn't stop the disappointment from creeping across her face, and the young ninja was observant enough to catch it.

The young man shut the book loudly, making the two girls jump, and before they could even inquire as to where he was going, the blonde was out of the room and down the stairs, and soon their ears were met with the familiar slam of the front door.

''Pfft...what's with him?''

Tifa shrugged tiredly, all too used to the blonde's absent nature, ''I dunno...he's just...I...I think he's unhappy here...''

A grunt sounded from the ninja, ''Hm. He's unhappy everywhere...grouchy git!''

The young woman's eyes shot open in shock at her friend's outburst, ''Yuffie!''

''What! You know it's true. I think it's all that hair gel he uses...must be affecting his brain.''

Tifa nodded somewhat appreciatively, wishing to change the subject and gave a soft, if slightly forced smile, ''Thank you for the gift Yuffie, it's lovely.''

''That's all right! Had to give you something after all that materia you let me have...'' Her voice became quieter and eventually trailed off after the word materia. A short silence followed in which Tifa left the young ninja to her dreamlike state while she admired her new item in the reflective surface of the mirror.

Once Yuffie had shaken herself from her materiafilled thoughts she continued with the conversation, ''And with that you're bound to catch the eye of some gorgeous hunk!''

The brunette raised a rather skeptical eyebrow, ''Gorgeous hunk huh...don't think there are many of those in Edge...''

The ninja rolled her eyes in a kind of agreement, ''Well you've got to stop pinning over Cloud...the man's an idiot...plus he's got a head like a chocobo.''

Tifa looked at her friend for a few seconds, her expression straight and still, until suddenly and quite unexpectedly she broke out into a fit of giggles, surprising the young girl so much she fell off the sofa arm she'd been perched on and landed on a heap in the floor.

* * *

Rufus Shinra flicked the papers over in his slender fingers, gazing at the words, but his eyes seemingly unable to focus on their meaning.

He sighed at his own lack of concentration and rubbed the back of his hand across the lidded pale blue orbs that graced his handsome face.

Before he could lift the papers once again to his refreshed line of sight, his office door swung open to reveal a familiar red head.

''Yo Pres!''

Not even attempting to hide his annoyance at the Turk's unauthorised entrance, the blonde muttered rather loudly, while laying the unread papers back on his desk, ''It's 'President' Reno...''

The Turk's brow furrowed in confusion, ''President Reno?''

Rufus just sighed at the young red head's stupidity, wondering why he allowed these people to protect him along with carrying out such dangerous missions, _I must be mad..._

He gestured to the man, still standing at his doorway, rather impatiently, ''What do you want?''

Reno snapped out of his unseen day dream and leaned against the way, flashing the President a charming smile, ''Oh yeah, I was gunna ask...if you wanted to come for a drink with us?'' The red head waved in the direction of the elevator, where the rest of the Turks stood waiting for their co-worker to join them.

The blonde gazed at the opposite wall in thought for a few seconds, before raising gracefully from his seat and pulling on his pristine white jacket that completed his imposing appearance so perfectly.

The red head's mouth nearly few open in surprise at the President's actual agreement, ''Well that's...bloody fantastic!''

Reno gave the blonde a giddy smile before skipping over to his co-worker's to tell them about the new and rather unexpected party member.

When they had all finally managed to squeeze themselves into the lift comfortably, the Turks started listing possible bars they could go to, which didn't take long due to the fact Reno had been bared from a considerable proportion.

The President mulled the options over in his mind, before turning to the red head, ''What about the one you're always going on about?...What's it called...Seventh Heaven...?''

Reno's orbs shifted around, his gaze crossing paths with his fellows Turks, each of them sharing his uncomfortable expression.

Eventually Tseng broke the increasingly tense atmosphere, ''I don't think that's a good idea Sir...''

''Why not?'' The young man stared straight ahead, his tone questioning but also a little irritated at the quiet refusal of his suggestion.

The raven haired Turk shifted slightly, ''That's...it's Tifa Lockhart's bar...she was...well she's an ex member of AVALANCHE...remember...the girl you nearly executed in Junon...good friend of Cloud Strife? And while she might not mind Reno drinking in there...or the rest of us occasionally...I don't think she'd take to kindly at having you...Rufus Shinra...the top boss of the company she despises...as a customer. She really does...well I'm pretty sure she hates you...a lot.''

There was the smallest of pauses as the Turk's waited for a response from their superior.

Without any warning Rufus spoke, his tone brimming full of arrogant authority, ''I'm the President and I'll go wherever I choose.''

An uncomfortable silence quickly formed around them and the Turk's were quietly relieved when the lift door opened, freeing them from the small confined space.

Before long they were out of the building and inside the raven haired Turk's rather sleek looking vehicle, preparing for the bumpy journey to Tifa Lockhart's bar.

* * *

A/N= Next chapter should be up tomorrow...maybe even two chapters if my concentration holds out! Oh and the neighbours dog has been barking non stop for two hours now...I think I may go insane...so if there are any spelling mistakes..I'm sorry... And REVIEW people! Tell me what you think so far!


	3. 2:Unwelcome Customers and Heated Threats

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy does not belong to me...however much I may like it to. I own no characters, places etc. etc. so please don't sue me! I'm a nice person :)

Author's Note: Second chapter! Woop, I bit more action in this one...:)...PLEASE review as I really enjoy reading your views and they inspire me to get better! It would make me very very happy! Anyway stop reading this and get on with reading the fic! Hope you enjoy! :)

**Chapter Two: Unwelcome Customers and Heated Threats**

The young bartender poured the amber liquid into the glass tumbler, before slowly sliding it across the smooth surface of the bar and towards the waiting customer, ''Here you go Sir, enjoy!''

She watched as the ageing man made his way over to his chosen table, while stroking the bottle of alcohol that she'd laid on the bar absent-mindedly.

It was early evening and Seventh Heaven had only just opened, the place seemed almost desolate apart from a young couple and the elderly man she'd just served.

It proceeded to stay quiet until the remainder of the daylight faded and nearly as soon as the clock hand met the the eighteenth hour, the brunette heard the rumble of a familiar vehicle pulling up outside.

_Turks...well at least they bring Reno with them...I swear he only spends his paycheck on booze and pizza...not that I'm complaining..._

The bar door swung open dramatically and she smiled as her gaze met the red head's, he had a habit of making big entrances and his undying self confidence was something the brunette had come to admire.

Reno flashed her one of his ever so charming smiles, though his eye line faltered slightly as he felt the unmistakable presence of Rufus drift past him.

Her bright eyes flickered immediately, narrowing to two angry slits, and her eyebrows arched in confusion _...What is he doing here..._

Nothing could withold the anger that stirred within her, it was like a red hot poker had pierced her flesh and was now slowly consuming her.

She had never felt such a lack of control over her emotions, but what surprised her more was just how infuriated the sight of a man, whom she'd barely talked to or even had much contact with, was making her.

The brunette's icy stare was on broken when the red headed Turk arrived at the bar, while the other members of his party took seat at a table by the window.

''Yo babe, how ya doing?''

Tifa began preparing glasses for the drinks she already knew he'd want, ''I've been better...what are you playing at...bringing him here?''

The young man's face cringed into a somewhat apologetic expression, ''Oh yeah...sorry about that babe...couldn't persuade him to go anywhere else.''

''I'm not happy about this Reno...'' She shot the Turk a death glare to end all death glares, forcing an uncomfortable shudder over the man.

He swallowed nervously, ''I can see that.''

Tifa grunted and handed the four drinks for him and his fellow Turks, before raising a rather suspicious eyebrow, ''What does...he want?''

He shifted his gaze ever so slightly to the table, around which Rufus sat, and paused in thought for a second, ''Erm...double whisky.''

The brunette turned around and grabbed a small glass and a half empty bottle, ''Hm...figures...''

Once the drink was ready she handed it to a rather wary looking Reno, ''You didn't poison it did you?''

A slightly sinister smirk graced her pretty face, ''Not this time...''

Reno chuckled nervously, not knowing whether to take her seriously or not, and began balancing the many glasses in his slender arms.

As he was about to walk away and return to his table she muttered warningly, ''Just keep him away from the bar!''

''Will do babe.'' He attempted to wave at her with his elbow as he walked away.

Tifa let out a tired but frustrated sigh and basically hissed at the red head's back, ''And stop calling me babe!''

* * *

Rufus sipped the last few drops of warming liquid from the glass and lowered it slowly to the table.

The Turks were deep in conversation, debating whether or not the secretary on level twenty two has really a man. The President watched them for a while in amusement, though it was hardly what he'd call intellectually interesting, and he soon found his gaze distracted when a bright light glinted off of something behind the bar and directly hit his pale blue eyes.

After taking a few moments to focus on the offending item, he found himself admiring the emerald green clip that resided in the young bartender's smooth brown locks.

He took in every detail, the way it seemed to reflect so prettily against the light, the way the tiny butterflies looked so perfectly real, and the way it hung ever so lightly upon the young woman's head.

Rufus was concentrating so much on the eye catching clip he didn't notice the glares he was receiving from its wearer. It wasn't until she turned her head swiftly that he took note of her discomfort.

He eyed her with curiosity, remembering what Tseng had said about her obvious dislike for him, and he couldn't help but wonder what she might do if he took the liberty of confronting her.

The rest of his party were so distracted by their discussion that they didn't notice the young man rise from the table and make his way over to the bar.

When the brunette saw the approaching customer, she flashed Reno a dangerous glare, only to find her eyes meeting with the back of his head.

Within seconds the young blonde was leaning against the bar surface, waiting patiently for the young woman to take his order.

Tifa attempted to ignore him, but then thought better of it, after all the sooner he got his drink, the sooner he'd leave her presence.

She made her way over to the him him, flashing a clearly fake smile ''What can I get you?''

''I'll have another whisky...single this time.'' He watched as she grabbed the bottle of brunt amber liquid, and took the quiet moment to inspect her appearance.

From his table he wasn't able to see her face so clearly, but now he was standing barley half a metre away, and he was surprised that someone so common was so attractive.

Her skin was pale and flawless like a china doll, yet her shape revealed her to be much more of a woman, her features where so feminine, the small line of her nose and the rose pink tinge that flushed her lips so evenly and her eyes ...her eyes showed such maturity, but still shone with a youthful glow, showing her to be someone who was forced to grow up before her time.

When the young man's gaze once again fell upon the sparkling item placed on the woman's pretty head, he decided it was time to speak, ''That's a...nice item you're wearing.''

He was met with a rather confused looking woman, so proceeded to wave his hand towards the vicinity of the clip to signify what his compliment was directed to. When all he received in response was an uncomfortable silence he continued, ''Where did you get it?''

The brunette screwed the bottle top firmly in place before putting it back on the shelf, ''It was a gift.''

''Hm, figured as much.'' When he saw her eyebrows arch quizzically at his rather strange statement, he decided to elaborate, ''It just looks like a relativity expensive item.''

Her rusty eyes flashed wildly, ''And what is that supposed to mean?''

Rufus ignored her question completely and instead concentrated on her tone, ''Are you always this testy?'' His voice was filled with amusement, but also curiosity, he couldn't deny that a part of him wanted to test this tense young woman and find what was lurking beneath.

There was a slight pause before she snapped rather abruptly, ''Get out.''

He was unable to stop his eyebrows from raising in surprise, ''Excuse me...?''

''You heard me...'' Her gaze was strong and penetrating, so much so that he didn't notice the slight tremble in her voice, ''I want you to leave.''

He observed her stance for only a moment before replying, his tone swimming with a powerful defiance, ''No.''

''Get out, before I chuck you out.'' Tifa was trying her best to keep her voice steady, but the red hue creeping across her face revealed her obvious frustration at his continued presence.

''I think you'll find I'm a paying customer and I haven't done anything wrong.''

''You're Rufus Shinra...that's enough...I warned Reno not to bring you here.''

The blonde flicked the light strands of hair from his eyes, his voice lined with authority, ''I have a right to go where I like.''

Tifa's face contorted with the anger she was unable to restrain any longer, ''No you don't! Just because you think you think you're Mr. High and Mighty doesn't mean you get to strut around anywhere you choose!''

It was Rufus's turn to let his eyes flash dangerously, ''How dare you speak to me in such a fashion.''

''I'll speak to you however I like!''

''I'm the Pre-'' Although his face remained pale, his skin feltlike it was burning with the fiery insolence of the young woman.

''I know exactly who you are, and what you do...I've lived through it...you're nothing but the nightmare of my youth, all you've done is ruin my life, and frankly, you're lucky I haven't hit you yet!''

Instead of quivering in fear like Tifa had hoped he would, the blonde allowed an arrogant smirk to spread across his thin lips, ''You really are quite...spirited aren't you...''

Tifa's glare faltered, and her tone lowered, ''And you're nothing but a bully...''

The blonde's icy gaze met with hers for no more than a few seconds before he replied, his answer seemingly directed at himself rather than the bartender, ''Maybe...''

Though his response had filled her head with many intriguingly confused thoughts, the brunette snapped back at the offending customer, ''Definitely...now...get out.''

By now the Turks had noticed the confrontation taking place between the pair and each one seemed to make the silent decision to leave.

Rufus turned and nodded in agreement to his fellow party members, and downed the glass of whisky that had been sitting on the bar for some time.

As he laid the empty item back down on the surface, he leaned forward, his face coming dangerously close to the young woman's, and whispered threateningly with a hint of amusement, ''You're going to regret this.''

It took every drop of the brunette's will power not to let her stare falter, and as she watched him leave her furious glare remained, making sure the fear growing in her mind was only known to her.

When they were gone and the bar door came to a gentle close she let out a shaky sigh and slumped her top half down on the hard surface of the bar top, _What have I done..._

_

* * *

_

A/N=Ok I just want to clear something about this chapter, I myself have read a lot of RufusxTifa fics and most of them have Tifa cowering away from the President if he imposes his authority, as in if he mentions the fact that she's talking to the head of the most powerful company in Gaia, she'd be all ''Oh I'm sorry...'' etc etc and while I do think she'd be quite scared I really don't think she'd show it so easily.. I see her as someone who would fight back, ESPECIALLY if it involves someone who has caused her so much pain! Just yeah...encase I get any complains from readers saying Tifa was OOC of anything.

Oh and you know what, I think I've decided that there should be a RenoxTifa friendship in this, just because I love the red head so much and I think it would be good to get him involved...plus they seem to have a good rapport.

Anyway I'm done now, next chapter should be up sometime early tomorrow!


	4. 3:Outspoken Employees Presidential Req

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy does not belong to me...however much I may like it to. I own no characters, places etc. etc. so please don't sue me! I'm a nice person :)

Author's Note: Third chapter! Ahhh! I'm getting quite addicted to this!...PLEASE review as I really enjoy reading your views and they inspire me to get better! It would make me very very happy! Anyway stop reading this and get on with reading the fic! Hope you enjoy! :)

**Chapter Three: Outspoken Employees and Presidential Requests**

Over the following fortnight the young President certainly made good on his threat. She wasn't exactly sure how he'd managed it, though fear and intimidation seemed the most likely candidates.

Tifa wasn't really certain of what she'd actually expected him to do, have her bar demolished maybe? Send crazed assassins after her? Get the Turk's to stalk her until she went insane? No, instead he'd done something much worse, something that would really get to her, emotionally and financially.

For two solid weeks she hadn't had a single customer pass through the doors of Seventh Heaven, no students, middle-aged alcoholics, crazy cat ladies, not even one of the really drunken homeless guys that always found their way in, in an attempt to steal the leavings of other people's drinks.

Every evening she'd prepare the tables, lay out the chairs, knowing full well there'd be no customers to use them. She'd even stay behind the bar, watching the door, as if some small part of her believed it was just a bad run and that familiar faces would be back to enjoy the atmosphere and brilliant drinks she'd put so much effort into creating.

After a while a wave of realisation seemed to wash over the bartender, even though she was hesitant to accept it. Instead she decided to spent the time she should have been using to sort out the mess, mixing new and very experimental drinks, while secretly forming plans to shove one of the rather large cocktail glasses up a certain blonde's way to pert ass, thus making her a rather on edge, not to mention angry, drunk.

She'd gotten so used to the silence and the constant lack of people coming through her door that when one evening someone did, she nearly dropped the glass tumbler she'd been pointlessly polishing and basically yelped at the lanky, yet familiar form.

''Reno!'' Her face reddened slightly as she realised just how delighted she'd sounded at finally having some company.

He looked at her, his expression soft and somewhat embarrassed, ''Yo babe...how ya doing?''

The brunette snapped back at him rather suddenly, ''How the hell do you think!''

''Hey don't be mad at me! It's not my fault...'' He had an accusatory finger pointed at her, even though he did feel rather responsible for her predicament, after all he'd allowed the young blonde to go up to the bar in the first place.

Tifa proceeded to gulp her mouth like a fish for a good few seconds before responding somewhat like a child, ''...Your boss is stupid.''

The red head smirked out of amusement at her silly retort before lazily strolling across to the bar and leaning against the hard surface, ''Well...he's powerful and you pissed him off...what did you expect him to do? Just roll over and take it?''

''Still...this is just ridiculous...''

Reno nodded in agreement, ''True, but what can I say...he's just...he likes to get his own way.''

Tifa grunted while absent-mindedly rearranging the wine bottles that sat behind the bar, ''Hm...so I've found out...''

The young man lowered his gaze and sighed, ''Babe I'm so-''

''If I don't get any customers soon Reno I could really be in trouble...I need every penny from this bar to survive...it won't be long till his little games ruin my life! Again...''

Silence fell around the pair, as red head furrowed his brow in thought, ''I'll talk to him. See if I can...sort it out...somehow.''

''Are you sure?'' She sounded surprised, though somewhere in the back of her mind she'd hoped he would make such an offer.

''Well it can't hurt...'' The pair shared a brief smile before the red head began barking out orders, ''Now you're gunna shut up the bar and get some rest, there's no point just hanging around here hoping for custom...you ain't gunna get any...Rufus has made damn sure of that.''

Tifa laughed lightly before placing a tentative hand on her arm in a somewhat nervous comfort, ''Thank you.''

The young man just gave one of his trademark cheeky smiles before heading out of the bar, ''I'll give you a ring once it's done.''

* * *

Rufus tapped his fingers against the polished surface of the rather expensive desk, staring at the opposite wall in some sort of thoughtful daydream.

He was bored, tired of waiting for some kind of retaliation from the young woman, whom since he had shared a heated confrontation with, he had tried so hard to make her regret and realise his authority.

It surprised him how much he seemed to crave the simple dominance over this rather unimportant woman, but what bothered him even more was that it had been over a fortnight and he still hadn't achieved his desired goal.

His thoughts were distracted however when he noticed a familiar red head hovering around his door.

He sighed testily, ''Reno...why are you skulking about like some kind of rodent?''

The Turk gave a nervous chuckle before entering the room, ''Yo sir...just wanted to-''

''You came to me to talk about Miss. Lockhart.''

The expression on the red head's face was priceless and the President had to fight hard to suppress a smile, ''How did you-''

''My sources told me you were seen entering that woman's bar yesterday...I thought you knew the policy concerning that place...''

Reno shifted about, his eyes darting around the office, looking anywhere but at the blonde, when he finally found his voice it was somewhat shaky, ''Boss...it's her lively hood...don't you think maybe...''

''Is she your girlfriend?''

The young Turk arched his eyebrows in confusion, ''No.''

''Do you want her to be?''

There was a slight pause this time, though his eyebrows remained in the same place, ''No.''

''Then why do you even care?''

Reno's gaze slowly shifted up to meet the blonde's, taking time when he spoke as if to emphasise the importance of his words, ''Because...we get on, she's nice, I like her! And frankly...I feel I have some things to make up for.''

The President's face remained still, though when he spoke he sounded intrigued, ''Like?''

The red head broke the staring contest he seemed to be having with the blonde rather suddenly, as if afraid he might catch the glint of shame that lurked behind his aquamarine eyes, ''Sector Seven. It might not have been my decision but I pressed that button...anyway...I owe her...a lot.''

Much to Reno's surprise, the blonde began to chuckle softly, allowing a smirk to spread across his thin lips, ''I can see Miss. Lockhart has been a bad influence on you.''

''Excuse me?''

Rufus halted his laughter and his tone became suddenly serious, ''You're beginning to speak out of turn, much like she did...and you're my employee...you have even less right to do so...''

The red head's eyes widened and he began to stumble over his rather frantic apology, ''I didn't mean to...you know...speak out...or anything...I mean I'm...I just thought that...I'm sorry Sir...''

''Well done...that was really quite something...'' The President leaned back in his chair, giving a deep sigh, ''Now all you have to do is get the pretty young bartender to do the same.''

''Huh?''

''You...get Miss. Lockhart to come here. I'll give her back her customers if she gives me an apology...that's all I want from her.''

Reno paused for a few seconds before raising a hand in protest, ''I really don't think...I mean I'm pretty sure she'll-'' His ramble was interrupted by a rather impatient looking Rufus.

''If her little bar is so important to her then...she'll do it.'' The blonde removed his gaze from the young Turk and proceeded to turn his attention towards the various files that littered his desk.

Taking this as his signal to leave, Reno strolled swiftly from the office and into his own, dialling a familiar number into his mobile phone as he went.

* * *

Tifa lifted her body slowly from the steamy water and smiled as she felt her feet nestle themselves in the shaggy rug that laid by the bath.

She had just began wrapping the large white towel around her damp skin when she heard the familiar high pitched ring sounding from the living room phone.

After quickly tying the piece of bathroom material in place, the brunette tiptoed across the cold floor and grabbed the ringing communication equipment, placing it to her delicate ear rather firmly.

''Hello Tifa Lockhart speaking how may I-''

''Hey babe.''

She recognised the relaxed tone immediately, ''Reno! This is a nice...'' Her cheerful smile faded away as realisation hit her like a brick, ''You talked to him didn't you?''

''Yeah...''

''So...what's the verdict?''

The young man's voice grew nervous and he couldn't help but ramble, ''Well...he seemed to...I think...he said that-''

''Reno just spit it out.''

''He...wants an apology.''

There was a slight pause before a deafening shriek erupted from the young brunette, ''WHAT? An apology! How dare he! I did nothing wrong! My god that man has some nerve! What is his problem? Well apart from having a rather large stick up his-''

Tifa continued ranting down the phone at a rather tired Reno, who held his ear a good way from the receiver, which actually seemed to be vibrating in anger and he couldn't help but wonder if Rufus really knew what he was getting himself into.

* * *

A/N= I know not much action in this, but sometimes the little details are needed and the action has to be compromised!

Oh and I'm sensing a 'you always hate the one you love' vibe from Tifa ;)

Is it a little weird I'm sensing vibes off of a character I'm writing for...surely I should be creating those vibes instead of sensing them...weirdness


	5. Chapter 4: Apologies and Invitations

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy does not belong to me...however much I may like it to. I own no characters, places etc. etc. so please don't sue me! I'm a nice person :)

Author's Note: Forth chapter!...PLEASE review as I really enjoy reading your views and they inspire me to get better! It would make me very very happy! Anyway stop reading this and get on with reading the fic! Hope you enjoy! :)

**Chapter Four: Apologies and Invitations**

_I can't believe I'm doing this... _

The young brunette shook her head, lowing her gaze to the lift floor, while letting out a rather disbelieving sigh.

She narrowed her rusty eyes as her line of sight came into contact with her rather odd looking shoes. It wasn't so much that they looked strange in the typical sense, but they just looked and felt strange on her.

They were really very smart, their surface was fashioned from some kind of soft matt material that made her feet look incredibly dainty and feminine, while the heel lengthened her lower leg, making their defined form look even more shapely.

The rest of her clothes felt just as foreign to her, the white shirt was fitted and the pinstripes covering it elongated her frame, the black waistcoat she wore over it was tailored to perfection and brought out every curve her body possessed. It had surprised Reno that she actually even owned such clothing, but then again she had done a lot of undercover work in her time with AVALANCHE, so maybe it was to be expected that she might occasionally come through with some hidden surprises.

Tifawasn't really sure why she'd had to dress up in the first place, though according to the red headed Turk it was key, and if she remembered correctly he'd said Rufus was more likely to accept her apology if she made an effort with her appearance.

Her face contorted into a strange sort of grimace as the thought of what she was about to do crossed over her mind, and she let out a soft sort of growl that the familiar friend standing beside her picked up on immediately.

''Yo babe...you ok?'' A nervously hopeful smile crept across his thin lips as he gazed over stiff, rigid form.

''Uh huh.'' Her answer was too simple for his liking, and so knowingly fake.

Before he could question her, a high pitched 'ding' noise resonated around the small space, while the number sixty was displayed on the controls and the sliding doors opened swiftly, revealing a comfortingly familiar corridor to the young Turk.

''Well this is my stop...'' Reno gave a small half smile and ran a nimble hand through his flame red spikes, ''I'll see you tomorrow for lunch?'' She nodded in agreement as the nervous energy in her stomach seemed to be stopping her from uttering a single word.

He stepped out of the elevator and turned around to press the button for her, ''Remember his office is on the seventieth floor...'' Just as the doors closed in on each other, the red head flashed her a charming smirk and whispered, ''Good luck.''

* * *

As the lift slowly proceeded past every floor number before the dreaded seventieth, the young woman shifted her gaze around the plain, rather maddening pristine space.

_How can Reno stand this place...day in...day out...how does it not drive him crazy...?...I'll have to ask him about that sometime..._

Much to her relief it didn't take long for the lift to once again stop, this time at her desired floor. When the doors opened and she stepped out, she couldn't help but let her eyes widen in surprise. The corridor was much wider than she'd expected, and in fact it seemed a lot like an entrance hall, the atmosphere was bright and airy. It seemed to Tifa's eyes to be very much deceiving in its appearance, for such a place, to look so lovely, it was almost as if it was a mask that hid the bare and hollowness lying beneath.

The young woman continued to survey her surroundings as she approached the light wooden desk placed in the centre of the space, with who she assumed was Rufus's secretary sitting comfortably behind.

Tifa placed a hand against the smooth surface of the large desk and latched her gaze onto the young girl, waiting to catch eyes with her.

She wasn't as pretty as the brunette had expected, in fact she was quite mousy looking, her dull blonde hair done up tightly into a low bun, her face free from any make-up, and gold rimmed glasses pressed firmly upon the bridge of her nose. For some reason Tifa had expected the President's secretary to be some blonde bimbo, one that he hired because she was easy on the eye, rather than good at secretarial work.

The brunette suddenly snapped out of her observations when the timid looking girl finally shifted her gaze, meeting eyes with her,''Hello there, can I help you?''

''Yeah...I'm here to see the President, Rufus Shinra?'' Her voice came out quietly, almost in a whisper.

The secretary just smiled, ''Yes I know who the President is...and what is your name Miss?''

''Oh, Lockhart...Tifa Lockhart.''

''Thank you, I'll just let him know you're here.'' The young girl glided across the desk and around to the phone, where she stayed for no more than a few seconds.

When she returned , Tifa had half expected to be dismissed or turned away, after all she hadn't actually made an appointment with the young President, so she was relieved when the secretary shone her an approving smile, ''You can go through now.''

''That's great...thank you'' The brunette began walking towards the ominous looking door and was about to make contact with the handle when a thought struck her, and she swivelled on the spot, ''Hey sorry...I didn't catch your name...''

The secretary looked happily surprised and the joy of the woman's sudden interest in her shone through her voice, ''Oh, my name is Jane, Jane Taylor.''

Tifa mentally stored the name away in the back of her head, and lightly turned the door handle, the metal material sending a cold shiver across her palm.

* * *

As soon as the young woman entered the room, her whole body seemed to stiffen, in fear or surprise, she wasn't exactly sure, but she knew that the room made her feel incredibly uncomfortable and out of place. At least when she had the President in her bar, she felt some sort of authority, the place being her own, and he a stranger to it, but here everything had changed, and now she was the outsider, she had no power in this room, and she could feel it.

The office was very much like the space outside it, everything pristine and bright, with clean lines and piles of organised files and papers. A solitary plant stood in the corner of the room, bathing itself in the sunlight that shone through the open window, its emerald green leaves flourishing beautifully.

It took the brunette some time to realise that she'd been staring around the room for longer than she realised and the blonde at the desk was looking at her with a hint of confused curiosity, ''Well Good afternoon Miss. Lockhart.''

A few more moments of silence passed as the blonde observed the brunette, who in turn was attempting to collect her thoughts and survey the situation she'd placed herself in so willingly.

Rufus gestured to the black, leather coated chair in front of his desk, ''Take a seat...it won't bite you.''

The young woman raised an eyebrow as memories of the chairs in Reno's office flooded her mind, after many visits and many practical jokes on the red head's behalf she'd grown to distrust most seating equipment in the Shin-Ra Headquarters.

Eventually after much hesitation, she slowly made her way over to the desk and sat down gingerly, twiddling her fingers out of nervous habit.

''So how's business?'' Her insides burned slightly as she watched an arrogant smirk appear across his annoying attractive face, his enjoyment of her rather frustrating predicament displayed for her to see completely.

Tifa had to use all her will power to withhold her fist from colliding with the young man's skull, and instead spoke, albeit through gritted teeth, ''It's been better.''

His smirk quickly evaporated and was replaced with a much more serious expression, ''Yes well...you needed to be taught a lesson.''

She opened her mouth and was about to retort when she thought better of it, after all she wanted to get out of there quickly and another unfriendly confrontation would just extent her unpleasant job, ''I came here to apologise for my...behaviour.'' the last word was almost spat out as she tried so hard to stop her emotions from surfacing, ''You're right I shouldn't have spoken to you like that.''

There was a slight pause before the blonde leaned forward onto his desk, his hands clasped together, ''Correct...go on then...''

Tifa shifted her gaze up to meet his directly, her rusty eyes fixed on his pale blue icy orbs that seemed able to penetrate hers so easily, ''You're really enjoying this aren't you?''

Another smirk appeared across his thin lips, though this time it was smaller as if he was trying to conceal it, ''Every second.''

The brunette kept her gaze locked into his, and uttered the words with force, as if it was hard work for her to sound them out, ''I'm...sorry.''

An approving expression began to form on the President's defined features as he leaned back in his chair, causing the material to creak softly, ''Well now, that wasn't so-''

He was rather suddenly cut off when more sound emerged from the brunette who it seemed was no longer able to contain her emotions, and she erupted like some sort of human volcano, ''But...I still think you're an arrogant, conceited, power obsessed, egotistical, controlling bully...and you're actions over our...disagreement...well...it just went to prove it!''

The blonde laid his head on two open fingers and muttered mostly to himself, ''And it was going so well...'' He shifted slightly in his chair, allowing it once more to creak quietly under his weight, ''You really are pushing your luck with me Miss. Lockhart.''

His eyes shone with anger, and the brunette felt a prickle of fear creep over her body, making her skin tingle with an uncomfortable sort of pain. Her mind was still reeling from the words she'd just allowed to escape from her mouth and a sudden realisation of the damage she might have caused to herself and to her business became fully awake in her mind.

Tifa sighed and believing herself to have already ruined any chance of getting back what he had taken from her, she decided to let her curiosity take over, ''I notice you didn't disagree with my description of you...you just didn't like that I said it.''

When she received no other reaction from him than a narrowing of the eyes she raised from her seat, ''Do what you want to me, I refuse to let you bully me into submission.''

''Wait.'' Tifa was inches from the door when she heard his voice, the sudden sound making her flinch slightly with apprehension.

She turned around slowly and watched him survey her in silence, the atmosphere around her growing more tense by the second.

Eventually after what seemed like an eternity the young man raised from his chair and approached her, gracefully making his way across the room while keeping his gaze locked onto her form.

He was merely inches from her when he spoke, ''I'd like to take you to dinner.''

The young woman's eyes widened slightly and the shock of the sudden invitation, along with Rufus's close proximity seemed to render her unable to speak a word, so he continued to fill the silence.

''You don't have to worry, this isn't some sort of deal. You'll get your customers back whatever your decision. Just think of it as a sort of...peace offering.''

She furrowed her brow slightly and nodded her head, her mind too confused at his sudden change of heart and her mouth too surprised at her own agreement to let actual words be formed.

Rufus held out his hand, taking her own in his strong grasp and shook it firmly, savouring the touch of her soft feminine skin against his own.

When their hands finally broke contact, Tifa turned away swiftly and opened the door, her body desperate to leave the room in which the atmosphere had changed so suddenly from one of pure hatred to something completely different.

As the door swung to a close, Rufus smiled to himself, his gaze still on the door, seemingly piecing through the wood as he whispered, his voice velvety and soft, ''Until then Miss. Lockhart.''

* * *

A/N= Not an especially great chapter here, but I got like three hours sleep and then my grandma was taken to hospital so I've been a bit distracted!


	6. Ch5 Bottomless Turks&Special Deliveries

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy does not belong to me...however much I may like it to. I own no characters, places etc. etc. so please don't sue me! I'm a nice person :)

Author's Note: Fifth chapter! Not much Rufus in this...actually not really any at all!...But I wanted to have some Reno-Tifa time!...PLEASE review as I really enjoy reading your views and they inspire me to get better! It would make me very very happy! Anyway stop reading this and get on with reading the fic! Hope you enjoy! :)

**Chapter Five: Bottomless Turks and Special Deliveries **

Tifa stroked her hand along her side of the dashboard, enjoying the way her fingers moved against the smooth curves and different textures that lined the vehicle.

It had always surprised her that the red head's car wasn't more flashy, after all she knew he got a decent pay-check and it wasn't like he had a family to support, and yet he had chosen a rather small, rather old (or 'vintage' as he liked to call it), and really quite rusty looking vehicle.

She'd brought up these musings with him once or twice and she always got the same answer; that it just felt right, that it just felt like his. Tifa had never understood why guys talked like that about cars.

Reno had his window rolled all the way down, getting in a chilly gust of air that howled around them as they drove, making tiny goose-pimples appear on the young woman's skin, though she knew as soon as they stopped the car would fill up to a dense undesirable humidity.

The brunette's stomach rumbled, and a red hue tingled across her cheeks, even though the young Turk couldn't have possibly heard the embarrassing vibrations over the mix of the car's rumbling engine and the wind he'd created through driving fast enough with the window down.

A somewhat relieved sigh escaped Tifa's pale pink lips as she spotted their destination and she turned to see an equally pleased expression slowly creeping across the face of her red headed friend.

Whenever she and Reno went to lunch they always went to the same place, the same drive-through and to be honest Tifa wouldn't have had it any other way. True it might not have been as healthy or as high quality as a restaurant, but somehow it just suited them both, it meant they could talk in the comfort of their own personal space without having to worry about other people, plus the car was undeniably comfy.

Luckily there wasn't a lot of traffic and the place seemed relativity quiet, meaning the queue was basically non-existent.

A rather too cheerful voice sounded over the speaker, flashing fake sincerity all over them, ''Hello! Welcome to 'A Fried Slice of Heaven' the home of everything and anything fast and fried, hope you had a pleasant journey, can I take your order please?''

Tifa raised an eyebrow in amusement, while the red head choked back silent laughter and leaned in towards the criss-cross covered grate.

"Yo I'd like one large cheeseburger...extra pickles, two medium portions of fries and one extra large coffee...black.''

''Pig...'' The brunette hissed mockingly, her eyebrow remaining raised as she leaned her own toned body across the driver to get closer to the speaker.

The cheerful voice had noticed the smallest pause and spoke through the grate once again, ''Anything else?''

''Yeah can we also get one portion of chicken nuggets, a box of onion rings and a small cola...diet...thanks.'' Tifaleaned back into her seat, enjoyingthe stretch her body had just been allowed, findingit somewhat refreshing.

There was a short pause of no more than five seconds before the voice was heard once again, ''Thank you for your order, now if you'll just drive round to the collection point, and please make sure you have your money at the ready.''

* * *

The pair were sprawled out inside the car, the seats reclined slightly so they could stretch out their previously crunched up limbs, their mouths eating their way through the incredibility unhealthy, but also ever so satisfying foodstuffs.

Tifa was halfway through her chicken nuggets when she shifted her gaze to the red head's lap, where only one bag of chips and the jug like cartoon of coffee remained, and when she lifted her gaze to his mouth, she saw him push the last few bites of the once large cheeseburger past his lips.

She sighed in amused disbelief, ''How is it that you can fit all that in there...?''

''Mm?'' He looked up at her, cheeks protruding out like a hamsters, his eyebrows raised in questioning confusion.

The brunette began to chuckle, turning back to her own lap full of food, ''Never mind...''

Reno shrugged lightly and took a large gulp of the steaming coffee to help wash down the burger and the bag of chips, not registering it was still burning hot, he proceeded to use all of his will power not to splutter and spit it out, refusing to give the young woman the satisfaction of watching him admit to his idiotic action.

''So then, how did the whole...apology thing go?''

Her eyes widened suddenly and she quickly delved her hand into the box of onion rings, ''Fine! Absolutely fine...no problems there!''

Tifa's answer was rushed, not to mention slightly squeaky, and as soon as she finished she shoved a good four onion rings into her petite mouth, silencing the young woman immediately.

The red head noticed his friend's nervous avoidance and raised a skeptical eyebrow, smirking at her until she caved.

''He...he asked me to dinner...''

Reno took another sip of his coffee, slower this time, his mouth still sore from the earlier gulp, ''And you agreed?''

She nodded gingerly, her lips curled around the blue stripped straw that stuck out of her diet cola, the tube darkening as the liquid ascending up to her mouth.

''Why...?''

The brunette's brow furrowed for a few seconds before she suddenly turned to her friend, her head tilted slightly to the side, her expression one of baffled confusion, ''You know...I have absolutely no idea...''

''Was it some kind of condition? In order to get your customers back I mean?''

''Nope...he just said...it was a peace offering...''

''He said that?'' His eyebrow was raised again, half in disbelief, half in shock.

''Yep.''

He let a cheeky smirk creep across his lips, ''I didn't know Rufus drank during the day.''

Tifa hit him playfully on the arm, ''A guy doesn't have to be drunk to ask me to dinner you know...''

The pair broke out into laughter, enjoying the mocking and entertainment they seemed to bring each other without things getting complicated, Tifa liked that, liked that they could be relaxed around one another, liked that they could be friends.

When the red head had finished off the last of his chips he turned his attention once again to the passenger seat, ''So...when are you two love birds going on this date?''

''Firstly we're not love birds in any way, secondly it's not a date, it's dinner...there's a difference and thirdly I...don't actually know.''

Reno seemed amused by her answer and chuckled quietly to himself before continuing with the conversation, ''So how exactly did he get around to asking you on this little...peace offering?''

''Well...I apologised to him...then I insulted him...then when I was about to walk out on him...he just asked me...to be honest...I was rather shocked...''

The young man smirked, stuffing the empty packets into the glove box, ''He's probably just planning on having you assassinated...you know poison the food...blame in on the restaurant...''

Tifa gave a sarcastically grateful smile, ''Oh cheers Reno...that makes me feel so much better.''

* * *

Reno pulled up a few metres from the door to Seventh Heaven, the car still, but the engine still rumbling softly beneath them.

The young woman swung her hand up to the flimsy looking handle, and was about to turn it when a thought struck her, ''Hey Reno...do you know the President's receptionist?

His face lit up as his brain began to work, ''Plain Jane? Oh yeah...brilliant legs...shame about the face.''

''Reno!'' The brunette shot him a death glare that had he had become very familiar with over the course of their friendship.

''I've got nothing against your legs if that's what's offending you.''

Her death glare softened slightly, ''Hm...''

''Why do you ask anyway? I mean about Jane?''

Tifa shifted on the seat as if embarrassed at the reason, ''I...I'm just curious...''

''Curious?'' His brows were arched in both intrigue and confusion.

''You know...as to why he hired someone like her...you know someone so-''

''Boring?''

She sighed in admittance and ran a slender hand through the dark, smooth locks flowing down her shoulders.

Reno turned away and leaned back further in his seat, ''Well you'll have to ask her that yourself...I don't think she likes me very much...''

''Oh yeah and why is that?''

It was the red head's turn now to shift about in embarrassment. ''Because... I may have...made that same nice legs, bad face comment in front of her...once...or twice...''

Tifa shook her head disapprovingly, though a light giggle could be heard escaping her lips, ''Cheers for the lunch Reno.''

''I didn't pay...I thought you did?'' His eyebrows were raised, as images of her clearly handing the money over passed through his mind.

''Yeah I did...with the money I found in your wallet!...And you call yourself a Turk.''

She flashed him a cheeky grin before darting from the car as quickly as her body would allow, ''See ya later!''

* * *

Tifa had only been inside her bar for five minutes when a loud, steady knock sounded from the door, and as she went to open it she wondered if Reno had come to get his revenge, but when she was greeted with a very professional looking postman she smiled warmly, ''Excuse me, can I help you?''

''Hello, I'm looking for a Miss... Lockhart?''

''That's me!''

The tidy individual had a large box by his feet and a clipboard in his hands, ''Great, I've got a delivery for you, if you could sign here...and here.''

_Hm...I don't remember ordering anything... _She looked confused for a few seconds before shrugging it off, taking the pen that was handed to her and scribbling down her signature with it, on the correct papers.

''Thank you very much.'' The man tucked the clipboard underneath his left arm and picked up the box, handing it carefully to the brunette, ''There you go, have a nice day!'' And with that he gave her a goodbye wave and headed to his truck.

Tifa closed the door with a swing of her hip and strolled over to the bar, before ripping into the box, curiosity overpowering her rationality.

When she was finally finished with the 'unwrapping', pieces of cardboard lay around the room, and there on the bar surface, lay a beautiful bouquet of flowers, almost porcelain in shade, though their stems were coloured a vivid green.

''But who...?'' She looked down, searching the beautiful parcel for anything to reveal its sender, and before long she found a small white card, previously camouflaged by the petals of which it was nestled in between.

Upon it lay only a few words, written perfectly in jet black ink, _''Thursday, six o'clock, wear the emerald butterfly clip. President Shinra.''_

A solitary eyebrow raised, annoyance clearly displayed on her pretty face as she muttered to herself, ''Can't just call like a normal person...Gotta send flashy flowers...flashy...pretty...flowers...flowers that would look great in that vase I got from the market last week...'' Tifa paused mid-mutter, gathering the bouquet in her arms and flouncing off to the upstairs apartment, smirking in spite of herself_._

After a good half hours worth of work, they were arranged in said vase and Tifa was enjoying the brightness their petals seemed to bring into her living room.

Tifa ran five slender fingers over their soft folds, enjoying the fine texture and gentle cold, while flicking the bouquet's card over in the other five, ''Well...I still think he's an ass...''

* * *

A/N= Ok like I said at the start...no real Rufus in this, and I know that might annoy some people but...I didn't/don't want this fic to be all RufusxTifa every chapter, because it seems somewhat unrealistic to me...Like those fics that are just all about the sex and have no real plot to them...which is fine if that's what you're looking for, but I didn't want to go straight from the meeting to the dinner without something else in-between to help break it up a little...anyway I'll stop yammering on now... xD


	7. 6: Late Arrivals and Desirable Curiosity

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy does not belong to me...however much I may like it to. I own no characters, places etc. etc. so please don't sue me! I'm a nice person :)

Author's Note: Chapter Six...the dinner ;)...And I know it's a day later than I said...I started reading a book and it kept me distracted!...PLEASE review as I really enjoy reading your views and they inspire me to get better! It would make me very very happy! Anyway stop reading this and get on with reading the fic! Hope you enjoy! :)

**Chapter Six: Late Arrivals and Desirable Curiosity**

Tifa twirled a stray dark lock around one of her slender fingers, the action almost performed subconsciously, as if her body was trying to keep itself from drifting into a desperate state of paralysed nerves.

She couldn't deny the fact that this 'dinner meeting' as it were, filled her with such painful butterflies, that it almost felt like she was a guilty criminal, about to go on trial, with no hope of being freed.

The brunette tried to loosen out her tense, still body by stretching her arms over the counter top of which she was leaning, her mouth letting out a soft moan as her skin tingled with pleasure at the feel of the cooling surface beneath her.

As she lay there, she allowed her eyes to drift up to the clock, perching firmly on the wall, the hands seemingly unmoving, though she knew they were, their motion so slow that it could only be picked up by a keen observer.

She'd been sat in the bar for over quarter of at hour, though she wasn't quite sure as to why, as she had never expected him to turn up early, after all, he seemed like such a precise man, and it seemed to her he was the type to arrive, bang on the dot at the specific time he'd chosen.

Tifa let her eye lids lower, and soon she was drifting in and out of a soft doze, her mind filled with pleasant thoughts, unrelated to her current situation, as though, again, her subconscious was trying to quell her nerves, though unluckily for the brunette this calm state was not allowed to remain for long.

A loud, steady knock sounded from the door, the sudden noise making Tifa bolt upright a little too quickly, and she soon experienced a slight head rush. When she had regained her composure, the young woman shifted herself from the stool and made her way, rather unsteadily to the door.

Every step she took left a trail of soft echoes chasing themselves around the empty room, making her feel strangely vulnerable, yet also a little excited, the situation almost like some kind of surreal dream.

Tifa lifted a hand to the door knob, slowly letting her fingers wrap around the piece of cooling metal, and soon the item was completely curled up and hidden underneath her grip.

Another knock sounded around her, and her heart almost jumped out of her chest, the brunette shook her head firmly as if to convince herself that there was no need for such a reaction.

She took a deep breath, pulled on her most confident battle smirk, and opened the door in one swift, fluid motion, creating a light chill of air, that rushed over her form ever so refreshingly.

Her nerves vanished immediately when she was met with the sight of not the blonde haired President, but a young raven haired boy, no older than nineteen, wearing a crisp navy blue suit.

See let her eyes roam over his form a few times, as if checking for any unseen danger, before allowing her voice to venture out, a curious smirk beginning to play upon her pale lips, ''Hello...''

''Miss. Lockhart?'' The boy did not smile, though he seemed to be almost surprised by her, as if she was not the young woman he had expected.

She nodded once, her eyes flashing with interest as she let her gaze shift from him, to the rather beautiful vehicle which was parked across the street.

''I'm the President's personal chauffeur, I was told you would be expecting me.''

When her only reaction was the raising of a confused eyebrow the young boy continued, ''I'm here to take you to meet him.''

In a flash the brunette's expression changed from one of innocent curiosity to a fiery scowl, and with an equally swift motion she stepped out into the street and closed the bar door, letting her heels clack noisy upon the pavement as she made her way over to the vehicle, muttering to herself.

''The cheek...can't even come to pick me up himself...sends a bloody driver no less...leaving me with someone I barely know...not that I know him any better, but still it would have been nice if-''

She was cut off as the young chauffeur reached out a steady arm and opened the car door for her with a certain trained grace, a clear look of worried confused masked beneath his blank expression, obviously a little concerted at having such an angry muttering woman in the back of his vehicle.

* * *

The journey was surprisingly smooth, and much to the brunette's relief, rather short. It wasn't that the interior wasn't particularly comfortable, in fact it was really very nice, but what she wasn't too happy with was the amount of attention the vehicle was getting, after all such flashy cars were a rarity and as such only people of high importance could afford them.

She couldn't help but feel a heightened appreciation for celebrities having their car windows shaded, the constant peering eyes were without doubt, highly irritating, and a little embarrassing.

Once the vehicle had stopped, and was parked to the chauffeur's satisfaction, the same door opening routine was repeated and soon she found herself gazing with a curious wonderment at the restaurant, which, till now, she hadn't even known existed.

The outside was a pale cream, with shockingly dark brown, wooden beams crossed against the smooth light paint, adding an age and mystery to it, as though the place had a hidden history.

It wasn't exceptionally modern looking or flashy, but rather traditionally grand, with a sort of classic edge, and Tifa was pleasantly surprised at his choice, and even more surprised at the fact she seemed to agree with it.

As she walked swiftly up the pathway, and towards the entrance, Tifa had to use all her concentration not to slip on the purposely uneven cobbles, making a mental note that heels were the devil in shoe form.

The inside was just as grand and imposing as the exterior had appeared, and everything seemed to have taken on a red, golden sheen, with a coat of darkened shadows, that set just the right atmosphere for what the outside had seemingly attempted to create.

Before the brunette could continue to admire her surroundings, a rather pert, huffy waiter appeared in front of her, his hands clasped firmly by his sides and a greying moustache twitching impatiently upon his top lip.

''Can I help you madam?'' His voice matched his demeanour perfectly, the words spoken in a clear, almost refined tone, yet with a hint of agitation.

Tifa paused in thought for a few moments, her mind a little unsure of what the waiter wanted to hear, ''Erm yes...I'm...I'm here to meet Ru-'' She stopped suddenly, her burrow contorting and smoothing as though she'd realised maybe, what she felt she had a right to say, wasn't actually appropriate, ''President Shinra.''

* * *

The brunette sighed and began playing with a bread-stick, twirling in around within two slender fingers, occasionally tapping it against the table in a bored sort of rhyme.

She had to admit she wasn't sure whether she was surprised, annoyed, or disappointed when the table to which the waiter had lead her to, was empty, but after about fifteen minutes of waiting alone she made her up her mind that it wasn't any of those three, instead she was infuriated.

_I can't believe this, first he doesn't even pick me up, and now he's no even gunna show...I should have seen this coming...stupid jerk..._

It wasn't helping matters that every few seconds, a different waiter would come by and ask if she needed anything, in a tone that told her they both pitied her and found some amusement in her situation.

Tifa had been so lost in her own rambling thoughts that she'd ended up snapping the piece of hard food, one half still in her hand, but the other laying rather pathetically on the table, ''This is ridiculous.'' She shook her head and quickly rose from her seat, her face lowered to the ground, knowing a disgruntled blush would be forming upon her usually pale cheeks.

''Leaving so soon?

The brunette couldn't stop the small gasp escaping, for there, less than a metre from her, stood the President, his suit pristine white as always, his silver blonde hair seamlessly held in place by nothing other that its own desire of style and, of course, there was an infuriatingly arrogant smirk playing across his, oh so perfect lips.

Tifa's face contorted and she had to use a great amount of energy to withhold from yelling obscenities at the young man, if not for her own dignity, for the fellow diners, who, no doubt, wouldn't like their own meals to be interrupted by a fight that, in her eyes, probably wasn't worth it.

When she spoken, she did so through gritted teeth, ''What...do you think...you're playing at?''

A tense silence settled between them, as the blonde observed her, as if testing her aura to see if it was safe to say his piece without getting a retorting blow he wasn't keen on receiving, though it wasn't long before he let his arrogance drive him on.

''Not nice being humiliated is it...''

Tifa glared at him through narrowed eyes, clearly confused at whatever point he was trying to make, and seeing this he continued in a hushed whisper, that seemed so delightfully threatening.

''You didn't like being here alone, didn't like the admission that you might have been stood up, your honour completely dismissed and ruined...much like the situation in your bar, you offended and trampled upon my dignity, my honour...''

The young woman bite back the angry tears that were trying so desperately to force their way out and whispered back, almost too softly, ''Wasn't withholding my customers enough...?''

''Not nearly enough.''

His face was so close to hers now, that she could feel the gentle heat of his breath against her own soft skin, genuinely surprised that he could possess any warmth at all, as she could feel the threat which flared beneath his icy orbs, even with her own gaze concentrated on his shoulder, a seemingly unseen force stopping her from looking directly at him, for her own good.

When she had regained some of her composure, she could no longer withhold the anger that had been bubbling up along with the cold fear, ''You are such a...you are a complete-''

''Now, now...language, this is an upmarket place, I know you're not used to being surrounded by such a breed of class, but they don't appreciate bad manners.''

Tifa flushed a deep red, both angered at his supposed reference to her lower class, and station in the world, but also slightly embarrassed that she was, even if she would never admit it, completely out of her depth.

She gave a low grunt and made to push past the young man, determined that to leave was the best option now, even if she wasn't quite sure as to how she would get home.

Tifa was stopped the minute her body brushed against his, when a steady, firm grip was curled around her right arm, holding her fast next to him.

''Stay.''

The words were so unexpected that Tifa's heart almost skipped a beat out of pure shock, _What..._

There was something in his tone, as if he was finding it incredibly hard to say, his usual demand and authoritative edge was still there, yet there was also a glimmer of gentle pleading, that Tifa was sure he used very rarely, and the fact he was using it with her was far too intriguing.

As these thoughts ran through her mind, she became suddenly very aware that she was still in his grasp, and much to her surprise, she wasn't as disgusted by the close proximity as she would have hoped to be.

''Fine.'' Slowly, almost teasingly, the brunette slipped out from the interlock their bodies were in and strolled back round to the table, using every pinch of acting talent she possessed to appear confident and sure, determined not to admit the fact that their little confrontation had been both frightening and more than a little enjoyable, in a strange sort of way.

_What the hell am I thinking...what the hell am I doing...There must be something wrong with me..._

She was intensely pleased that these thoughts were private, and he, as yet, was not able to pick up on the false mask she had plastered upon herself.

Instead he joined her at the table, wearing another exceedingly arrogant smirk, as though believing he had defeated her in some way, and Tifa was indeed held under that powerful, fear inducing gaze, which seemed able to create butterflies within her, but again, of course, she would never ever admit it.

* * *

The pair sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity, the only break in quiet came when Rufus ordered a bottle of house wine from the same huffy waiter whom had shown Tifa to her seat when she had first arrived.

When the drink was served, the brunette all but downed the first glass, welcoming the distraction from the uncomfortable atmosphere, secretly hoping that things might be more bearable if she was under the effects of alcohol.

Rufus on the other hand twirled the glass within his cupped hand, and took a slow, lingering sip, an almost opposite to the young woman's motion, whom he had just raised an eyebrow to, assuming that was the way lessors drank fine wine.

Tifa fingered the hollow glass rim for a while, trying desperately to think of a topic of conversation, to which she kept coming up dry, and was pleasantly relived when the waiter returned once again with the menus this time.

Much to her dismay it all seemed to be in some language, quite foreign to her, and Tifa racked her brain for some way of getting round this embarrassment, and soon an idea fell upon her and she shifted her gaze to Rufus, ''Could you order for me?''

His reply was a solitary quirk in his right eyebrow, as if trying to withhold a full blown look of confusion.

Noticing the proceeding silence, she shone him a nervous smile, ''Just...you probably know what's good here.''

''Hm.'' The blonde swiftly reverted his gaze back to his own menu and soon proceeding to wave the waiter back over, barking various food orders at him, which none of course Tifa could understand.

When they were alone once again, Tifa continued with the gentle probing and stroking of her wine glass, which was once again full with the red warming beverage, and in spite of himself, Rufus began, in basic terms, checking her out.

She'd definitely made an effort, though her look seemed so perfect in its simplicity, instead of wearing the obvious choice; a dress, she'd gone for a pair of clean cut, jet black trousers, that skimmed over the gentle curve of her toned legs, yet didn't cling.

Above that she wore a beautifully deep purple gypsy style top, that hung to her figure just as flatteringly, showing just enough skin to balance out the complete coverage of her bottom half, though also leaving, just enough, to the imagination.

Her make-up was almost non-existent, her natural, pure skin and delicate features, not needing to be enhanced by anything, in fact the only trace of artificial tampering, was upon her lips, where a slight trace of reddening lip colour was present.

Though it was when his gaze fell over her brunette locks, that the blonde felt a jolt of pleasure, as there nestled against the left side of her head, holding a group of strands away from her face, lay the emerald clip, which he had specified his desire for her to wear, even though he'd been almost certain she wouldn't comply.

It didn't take long for Tifa to notice that the young man was basically staring at her, as if completely enthralled by something, and in an attempt to distract this rather uneasy, if not totally unwanted attention, she decided to air a question that had been plaguing her thoughts ever since the moment he had first asked her there.

''So...Rufus...you said this was a peace offering, but I'm pretty sure you don't take all the 'commoners' you've wronged, out to dinner...so tell me why am I here?''

His gaze snapped up to meet hers, and within moments responded, his tone steady as always, ''Because, I want to know you.''

''Huh?'' The look of complete confusion she was expressing was almost comic, though Rufus made a special effort not to laugh.

''I want to know you...you interest me.''

''Pfft...What if I don't want you to know me? If you hadn't noticed I don't like to keep arrogant, power hungry killers, as close, personal company.'' A defiance filled her voice, as if challenging the blonde to persuade her otherwise.

There was a pause before he spoke, as if he was considering his point of attack carefully, ''What about Reno?''

''What about him?''

''He's a killer...''

''Well yes but, he...I mean-'' Though Rufus did not speak over her, he cut her off with a self-assured glare, his tone remaining softly confident.

''I've never killed anyone.''

Tifa raised her eyebrows in unamused defiance, ''No...you just give the orders.''

''It's the clever way.''

''It's the coward's way.''

A slight grimace formed, though it was gone as quickly as it had appeared, and much to Tifa's surprise, a low chuckle sounded from the blonde, ''You know...I don't think anyone has ever dared to call me a coward before...''

''Well...there's a first time for everything.''

''Hm.''

Rufus smiled subconsciously, quick to turn his face down to hide it, finding it hard to deny that he was rather enjoying playing this strange little game with her.

A few moments later their food arrived and Tifa was surprised at how pleased she was with the order, seeing as the blonde himself had chosen the dish.

She leaned forward and took a soft sniff, enjoying the warming, spiced aroma that was steaming off from the freshly cook food, and before long she was taking her first tentative bite, her hand shaking slightly, as the thought of eating in front of a male, a male whom she hardly knew was surprisingly nerve racking, plus she still wasn't completely sure he hadn't had it poisoned.

Rufus watched her, finding the small moan of delight at her tasting, strangely hypnotic, ''I take it the food is to your satisfaction?''

The young woman yet out a small chuckle of amusement, ''Do you always talk like that?''

''Like what?''

''So...proper...''

''It's the correct way for someone of my stature to speak.''

''That's not what I asked.'' Tifa raised a cocky eyebrow, a small smirk playing across her darkened lips as she raised the wine glass ever so slowly to her mouth, taking a lingering sip, all the time keeping her deep gaze locked upon his own.

_Oh my...am I flirting...must be the wine..._

She shifted her eyes downwards as the thought came across her mind, though if she'd carried the daring stare a little longer, she would have found a surprised, and rather pleased looking Rufus.

* * *

Tifa was stuffed, that was a certainty, and with that delightful euphoria that a good meal brought, she seemed to allow her once alert senses, to dull slightly, slowly lowering her guard, and before she knew it she was having a shockingly detailed conversation with the young blonde about her life, oh course missing out specific details which she felt were to private to tell, no matter how deadened her senses were.

When their conversation finally ceased, Rufus seemed unnaturally still, thoughtful almost, and when he spoke, there was something off in his voice, something that seemed so out of place in such a cold man, ''It seems I have a lot to make up for.''

The brunette observed the young man for a few moments, as if suddenly surprised by his presence, though she finally managed to pull her senses together and leaned forward, an intrigued curiosity playing across her slightly flushed face, ''Ok you've gotta level with me...what are you going on about? A few weeks ago you basically shut down my business, fully knowing about the fact your past...actions had deeply affected my life, and yet now... now you suddenly want to make up for it. Why?''

Rufus took a large swig from his glass, downing the remains of his wine and lowered the item back down to the table slowly, his eyes glazed over slightly, as though trying to figure the best way of wording his response.

''Well Miss. Lockhart...As I am constantly reminded by my...advisers...Shinra is trying to go in a more 'friendly' direction if you will...and part of this will be...reconciling a certain...relationship with the public...so...why not start with you...I want your respect...And I am willing to work for it.''

''How exactly?'' Tifa had tried her best to absorb the trails of highly unexpected reasoning, and her brow was now thick with suspicion.

The blonde flicked a stray strand of silver light hair back into place and smirked, ''Well that is up to you.''

A short pause proceeded and Rufus began to feel a slight impatience, as if her lack of response was unnerving, ''So...what is your answer?''

Her gaze had been focused on the table, but when he spoke again, she shot it back up to meet his, and spoke with complete focus, her tone so genuine, ''I don't trust you.''

''Well...we can work on that...''

''What if I refuse?''

Rufus sighed softly, ''Then you refuse.'' He let a small silence linger before adding, oh so knowingly, ''But you won't.''

The brunette allowed a slight warming flush to pass across her skin as she smiled in spite of herself, because she knew, and she knew he knew as well, that he was absolutely correct.

* * *

Before she knew it Tifa was walking towards the sleek vehicle, in which she had arrived, though this time there was a new presence in the form of the blonde President.

The young chauffeur was waiting patiently by the car and as they approaching he bowed his head in respect to Rufus and opened the door, creating a wide space for the President to enter.

It was only then that the brunette realised she would be riding in the back of the vehicle with him, and that thought made her heart beat that little bit faster, out of either fear or anticipation, she couldn't be completely sure.

Before the young raven haired boy closed the door behind them, she managed to get out an almost whispered, ''Thank you.'' Which seemed to amuse the blonde, though Tifa didn't seem to notice.

The pair sat in silence, less that half a metre from one another, and Tifa couldn't help but feel once again vulnerable at this sudden isolation, and she felt so unprepared for the prolonged close proximity.

It wasn't like in the restaurant, where they had been surrounded by fellows and noise and space, here there was nothing to hold her concentration, she couldn't detach her mind from the situation with playful day-dreaming, all she could do was stare and try not to think about how good his cologne smelt, especially mixed with the leather aroma lining the interior of the car.

_Stop it Tifa...stop thinking about him...it's stupid...it's wrong...and it's impossible..._

Rufus shifted ever so slightly against the back seat, an unknown batch of nervous energy creeping around in his body. He could hear her breathing, it was light, but desperate, and as he shifted his gaze to his right, he caught sight of her mouth, enjoying the way her lips softly parted, and proceeded to let his eyes run down her body, taking in every up close detail, which before now had been denied, he was so close that he could almost see every hair which lay upon her skin, and soon found himself feeling a strange sort of excitement at this woman's seamless perfection.

_Stop it Rufus...you shouldn't even be allowing such thoughts to enter your mind...she is just a girl...she is just a woman...she is nothing special..._

The pair both let out silent sighs of comforting relief when the car's engine stopped rumbling as it parked outside the empty and rather dark looking 'Seventh Heaven'.

It wasn't long before the car door was once again opened and they were both met with a pleasant icy chill as the night air invading the space.

Tifa took care in sliding smoothly from the vehicle, not wanting to make a fool of herself by hobbling out like some sort of monkey.

Before she continued on her way back to her home, to whose comfort she desperately wanted to return to, the brunette swung round and gave Rufus the first genuinely warm smile he'd seen from her, ''Thank you...oh and...I will...I mean, I do accept your offer.''

Rufus bit back the smirk that was daring its way out and instead kept his face and tone as straight and as steady as possible, ''Goodnight Miss. Lockhart.''

As she turned back and strolled away from the vehicle, both the chauffeur and the President continued to observe Tifa, seemingly transfixed, and when the young raven haired boy spoke, it was in an almost hushed admiration, ''She's very beautiful Sir.''

Rufus lifted an eyebrow, though the rest of his face remained still, ''Is she?''

The question seemed more to himself, than to the chauffeur, and when the young boy turned to face him, he didn't give him the chance to reply, and instead flashed a waving order for the door to be closed, and soon the rumble of the engine sounded once again.

* * *

A/N=I meant to get this out earlier...sorry for the wait people...hopefully it's a good chapter...It turned out a hell of a lot longer than I'd planned, but there seemed so much to say!...Plus...lots of TifaxRufus goodness...I tell you Rufus is one hard sod to write for...but anyway...not to worry, the next chapter will be out before next week...well unless I die or something, in which case you'll just have to wait until I rise from the dead, though I think my plotting abilities might be affected if I do become a zombie...let us just hope I stay alive hm? xD


	8. Ch7: Morning Shocks and Things Concealed

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy does not belong to me...however much I may like it to. I own no characters, places etc. etc. so please don't sue me! I'm a nice person :)

Author's Note: Chapter Seven...PLEASE review as I really enjoy reading your views and they inspire me to get better! It would make me very very happy! Anyway stop reading this and get on with reading the fic! Hope you enjoy! :)

**Chapter Seven: Morning Shocks and Things Concealed**

The brunette's sighed as her mind slowly awakened, though her eyes remained shut, her body seemingly still not wanting to rise from its deep slumber.

She turned slightly upon the warming mattress, gently allowing her left arm to instinctively reach out and tuck itself behind the pillow, drawing the comforting head rest closer, and acting as a sort of light blocker, letting her forget, at least for a few moments that the pale, grey light of morning was peering through her curtains.

She stayed like that for quite sometime, though how long exactly she couldn't be sure, after all, as soon as sleep took over, time just became a meaningless notion that she only suddenly become aware of once again, when her eyes opened and her mind was forced to relocate back to reality.

Though when she felt a sharp twinge in her right calf muscle, the brunette bolted up right, the pain all to familiar and all to unbearable, to ignore or shrug off, ''Ow! Ow, ow ow...'' She clutched the aching leg with both hands, her grip firm so firm that it would have probably felt slightly uncomfortable, were it not for the much more uneasy and unrelenting cramp she was currently experiencing.

Eventually the pain subsided, but as it did so, it opened a whole new door of annoyances and irritations to keep her away from her restful relaxations, as a dry, dull, rumbling thump crawled ever so tauntingly, across her head.

Tifa growled softly to herself, almost in an attempt to threaten the torturing headache, in the supposed hope that it would disappear in fright and she would be left in peace once again.

Though of course, people's bodies rarely do what they want them to, and the young brunette's was no exception.

She groaned silently as she rubbed one finger across her temple, enjoying the cooling sensation, and closed her eyes, taking a few moments to collect her thoughts and made sure she felt awake enough to pull herself from the bed and stand without experiencing some kind of horrid, dizzying head rush.

When Tifa did finally manage to drag herself from the room, the first stop she made was to the bathroom cabinet, in to which she dove two desperate hands, commencing them to search for the small white packet of tablets, that would be sure to put an end to the constant banging and clattering that was swimming around inside her tired skull.

Luckily it wasn't long before she came across the box clearly marked 'paracetamol' and within seconds she had popped out two of the pale pellets and swallowed them down without the aid of water, her body not willing to wait any longer for their relief.

Tifa couldn't be sure whether it was a normal headache or a hangover, after all, she was pretty certain she hadn't consumed that much wine at the meal, but then again she was also pretty certain she'd heard him say something along the lines of 'I want to make it up to you...for all those terrible things I did' so in hindsight it was highly plausible that either she'd gotten absolutely pissed and had misread him completely, or, she'd finally gone crazy and could no longer tell apart reality to dream induced hallucinations.

After a few moments of light musing, the brunette decided to conclude that she'd imagined the entire conversation and that, of course, he was still an arrogant, conceited jerk, who she, most definitely, did not find attractive in the slightest, no sir.

It was only when she left the bathroom, and proceeded down the corridor, that she began to hear a rather ominousness rumble of muffled noises from the bar downstairs, which should have been empty and closed.

The idea of burglars didn't seem very likely, as it was morning and she would have most definitely heard a forced entry, so dismissing that, the only other candidate that Tifa could come up with was a pack of wild, ravenous, alcoholic wolves that just happened to have been able to unlock the door and had come to empty her bar of all beverage supplies.

She made her way closer and closer to the stairs, crossing the living room in the process, in which she scanned the space for a possible weapon, before proceeding quietly down the stairs, Television remote in hand, ready to fling at a moments notice.

As her feet collided with the cold surface of the steps, she became more and more aware that she was dressed only in a pale blue nightshirt, the thin fabric barely reached her knees, and was more than a little bit see through if viewed in the light.

_Great one Tifa...you're gunna flash the intruders before you die horribly..._

As the brunette gave a self directed sigh of exasperation, a flash of something, or someone suddenly caught her eye, the supposed threat, lingering at the right of the stairs, the form too concealed to identify at the present moment.

Deciding speed would be her only advantage in this attack, she crept further and further down the steps, until she was literally standing beside one, of the possible many, intruders.

Her heart felt like it was doing somersaults, though her mind remained steady and clear, the fear only radiating in her body rather than her psych, _Ok...gotta be quick...ok...breath and...one...two...three!_

In one swift motion, Tifa reached round and grabbed what she found was a suited arm, which she immediately twisted in an attempt to gain the upper hand, though within moments she came to the realisation that this person seemed to be stronger and quicker than her, at least right now, after all she was still newly awakened and her head was still gently buzzing.

The leg that shifted her heels so easily and the arm that twisted her around before wrapping itself over her shoulder, and across her chest, was most definitely male, and it only took her one breath, to become aware that she was familiar with the deep scented, yet also softly alluring cologne that hung around the man, whom she could not see, and whom had slowly enveloped her.

Though Tifa only stayed within the man's arms for a few seconds, it seemed like an eternity, her captors grip not overly firm, but tight enough for her to feel caught, almost wanted, and there was no denying that it felt good to be in the arms of another.

When she realised her train of thought, she wasn't sure whether to be disgusted or intrigued, but either way she chose to struggle within her unknown captors arms, to which he reacted by giving a firm tug, pulling her ear in line with his mouth.

His breath was hot against her skin, the sensation causing ripples of tingling pleasure to shot up inside her, though the moment the man spoke, her blood chilled a little, not out of fear, but shock, after all, there was no mistaking that cold, silky smooth voice, that seemed to drip with authoritative arrogance, ''Good morning Miss. Lockhart.''

* * *

The light, downy hairs that lay upon the soft nape of her neck stood on end, and her body stiffened just enough for the young man to feel it, and a small smirk crept across his lips, before lessening his grip slightly.

Noticing this small release, the brunette came to her senses and twisted on the spot, using her right hand to push back against her captors chest, who in turn, took a few steps backwards in an attempt to steady himself from the blow.

When she had composed herself, the young woman shifted her eyes over the blonde with suspicion, as he straighten himself to once again return to his authoritative posture, every thread and every detail tailored to perfection.

For once he was not in his pristine white suit, his new style so surprisingly different, that when Tifa had first caught the glint of his form, for a fraction of a second, she thought maybe she'd presumed to soon the identity of her captor.

The young man was clad in a deep, jet black suit, the material so crisp and pure in colour, yet also broken up with silken black pinstripes, that shined and reflected against the light just enough to make the look so unique. Beneath the loose hanging jacket, he wore a dark, navy blue vest upon a lighter shaded sky blue shirt, with a silver, almost whitened tie.

_Holy Shinra... _There was no denying he looked good.

The blonde smirked as the young woman's face dawned with the realisation that she'd been staring at him for a good minute, and he held up an arm, resting it against the wall on which he'd been previously leaning before the supposed attack, giving a swift flick of his silver blonde hair.

Tifa's mouth popped like a fish out of water, not sure what emotion she should be registering, the candidates ranging from anger to fear to frustration, but soon with the number of questions that were running through her mind, she found confusion to be the number one prize winner, ''What...what are you doing...why did you do that for!''

Her voice was both accusatory and yet soft, breathy, as if still trying to recover from the contact that they had both just shared, and the young man picked up on this instantly, and made sure to keep his voice as straight as possible, but there was no hiding the teasing glint within his ice blue eyes, ''Do what?''

''You know...'' Her eyes shifted around his form before falling to the floor and barely muttering out the rest of her unfinished statement, ''...hold me like that.''

''You attacked me, you needed to be restrained.'' He spoke as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, his tone condescending and more than a little patronizing, ''Why else would I touch you?''

Tifa's face fell, and for a moment the young man thought there was a look of hurt disappointment behind her deep, warm eyes, but he soon dismissed the idea when she muttered venomously, ''Jerk.''

_Jerk...? _Rufus felt one of his eyebrows raise in a gentle contempt, at this blantent lack of respect for his authority.

The brunette was slowly beginning to get over the shock of the President's sudden presence and was now, slowly giving in to the angered curiosity, the evidence of this shining through in her voice, ''How did you get in here anyway?''

His answer was as simple and as arrogant as ever, ''I'm the President.''

The brunette let a sly, sarcastic smile creep across her lips, her face radiating with a fury induced heat, ''Oh right, well that explains it then...'' She shook her head softly, before returning her gaze in direct line with the blonde's, ''Why are you here...?''

''I needed to accompany the workers.''

Tifa coughed with surprise, before holding her head further forward, as if she didn't quite trust her hearing ability, ''Workers...?''

The blonde just raised a hand towards the door, parting the open corridor by the stairs, from the entrance to the back of the bar, and shifted aside to let her pass, as she took a few tentative steps forward, and through the door which had been left a jar.

Her entire face seemed to widen, and whiten,_ What...the...? _There, inside Seventh Heaven, were a mass of what looked like builders, slash cleaners, slash decorators, and all of them seemed to be on their own personal mission to destroy her bar completely.

The place was already void of her old furniture, and the dark wooden floor seemed to have been sanded, as if in preparation for a varnish, _How the hell did I sleep through this?...He must of slipped something into my wine...so he could come here and wreak my place! He poisoned me...with sleeping pills! Reno was right...oh my God, Reno was actually right.. Damn, I was hoping they'd at least be a few more years till the apocalypse... _

''Rufus, what is this?''

_Rufus..._ Again his face contorted, the use of his first name by a young woman, who technically, was below him in so many ways, ''You agreed to this.''

''Huh?''

''It only occurred last night, I must say I am surprised at the poor quality of your memory.''

The brunette held up an accusatory hand, and started waving it about in protest, ''Wait a second! I did NOT agree to letting you break into my bar and start...messing it all up!''

''You agreed to let me help you, and this bar...well...'' The blonde scanned the space with some disgust, ''...it needs my help.''

Tifa opened her mouth in a supposed need to shout obscenities at him, but stopped short of uttering a single word, as she noticed his icy, wandering eyes, now viewing her with a rather unreadable expression.

She didn't have to wait long for an explanation for his observations, as he flashed his cold gaze back up to meet hers, ''Now go...clean yourself up...and put some clothes on...the workers don't need such cheap distractions.''

The brunette's cheeks filled with a light red hue, a mix of embarrassment and anger, letting her hands creep down and subconsciously cling to the bottom of the pale material, in an attempt to collect some remains of her modesty.

''Fine...fine! But...this isn't over!'' Tifa suddenly found herself feeling very much like a provoked child, and before she knew what she was doing her tongue had escaped her pale pink lips and was waggling it's self at her unwanted guest.

It darted back as quickly as it came out, and before Rufus could respond in anyway, the brunette swivelled and ran up the stairs, muttering to herself as she went.

The President watched as she scampered away, a smile tugging at the corners of his thin lips, the young woman's tantrum amusing him to a strange sort of enjoyment, and helping him take his mind off the way that nightshirt had hung off her curves ever so delightfully.

* * *

After taking a long, steamy shower, in which she managed to drop an entire bottle of shampoo on her foot, through her lack of concentration due to her self ranting, Tifa pulled on a bathrobe and headed for her bedroom in search of clothes.

She raided the contents of her wardrobe, and was almost half way through when she noticed how many perfectly fine outfits she'd passed by on the account that the blonde might not...enjoy them.

Thoughts began to edge slowly into her mind, like waves creeping up the shore of a clear beach, gently littering it with foam and pebbles.

_Am I?...I mean...no...no...there is no way I would wanna look good for the jerk! That, arrogant, power hungry, devious, extremely infuriating... oh good God he is attractive...No! Bad Tifa! You've just been deprived of male attention for to long...that's it...Anything else...that would be weird...and wrong...and just...ergh!_

Tifa shook her head softly, giggling silently at her own silly ramblings, before proceeding to grab a plain black shirt dress from the nearest hanger, slipping off her robe, and pulling on the piece of clothing, buttoning it up and then wrapping the waist tie around her, firmly enough so it defined her figure, making it appear as though the piece was tailored especially for her, and her alone.

She decidedly didn't glance at her refection before leaving the room, in some attempt to prove to herself that she didn't care what she looked like, and she most certainly didn't care what he thought of her apperance.

Tifa walked once again down the corridor, and soon arrived at the living room, though when she entered, she found there was no need to proceed any further, for the young blonde was already situated sitting on the sofa, legs crossed and hands riffling through the various magazines lying on her coffee table, his face lined with a certain disgusted amusement at the quality of the articles.

_Guess this guy really hasn't ever heard of respecting other peoples' privacy..._

The brunette gave a forced cough, so as to alert him to her presence and it worked, as the President raised his head swiftly and allowed his eyes to scan over her now dressed form, and he couldn't help but notice she now somewhat matched with him, and a part of him seemed to like it.

''Did I say you could come up here?'' Her face was straight, though her tone showed hints of deep annoyance.

Rufus pulled himself up to his full height, his motion, so smooth and graceful that he seemed like some kind of bird in flight, though his answer soon brought him back to the arrogance, to which Tifa had become so acquainted with, ''No.''

A smirk of amused disdain played across her lips, as the young woman muttered to herself, ''But you came up anyway...''

The pair remained standing there, in complete silence, for what seemed like a never-ending moment, the atmosphere tense and uncomfortable from Tifa's perspective, but from the blonde's relaxed composure, the lack of conversation didn't seem to be affected him in the slightest.

When the brunette could no longer stand it, she automatically went into host mode, ''Can I get you something...cup of tea maybe?'' ..._Why the hell did I just say that...oh course he's not going to want a cup of tea...idiot... _Her face contorted slightly as she waited for the mocking refusal that never came.

Instead he drew closer to her and said, without a hint of condescension, ''Why not.''

* * *

The young woman clicked on the kettle button, the red light glowing lightly to signify it was in the process of boiling the cold, clear water within.

She shifted her gaze to the young blonde leaning against the wall, his eyes glazed over, as if deep in thought, ''You can sit down you know.'' Tifa tried to smile, but only managed a small curl in the corner of her mouth, before turning away again and reaching up into the opposite cupboard in the search for mugs.

When she turned around once again, this time mugs in hand, she saw he had moved, and now was indeed seated by the breakfast bar, one arm resting on it while his slender fingers tapped and rippled upon the surface subconsciously.

_How does he manage to stay so calm...doesn't he ever get nervous? Or scared?..._

She thought about asking him, but dismissed the idea almost immediately, _As if he'd admit it...as if he'd admit it to me..._

A familiar smirk began to form upon the young blonde's handsome face, leaving Tifa to indulge in her curious streak, ''What is so amusing exactly?'' _Can't be the lino..._

''Earlier, downstairs...you acted like an angry child, threatening me, and yet here you are, less than an hour later, perfectly calm and offering me cups of tea.''

A very light pink hue edged across her cheeks as she fumbled with her explanation, as if just figuring it out herself, ''I just...I don't like the thought of my bar being invaded by strangers...''

The kettle's climatic rumblings ended with a click as it turned itself off, this time signalling its job was complete and Tifa made quick work of pouring the boiling liquid over the two tea bags, and picking two crystal white cubes from the bowl across the counter and plopping then into her own mug before airing her tired inquiry, ''Do you take...sugar...milk?''

''Neither.''

The brunette smiled as she went over to the fridge and got out the white cartoon, she had somewhat expected him to say that, and it amused her for some reason, as if she enjoyed this small opposite between them, even if it was just over tea.

When she handed him his mug, he looked at it with an almost sneering suspicion, the china beverage holder so plain and common to his eyes, and his body almost refused to let him pick it up, as if not wanting his hands to be contaminated by something so cheap and ordinary.

Eventually he managed to lift the rim to his thin, parted lips and took a tentative sip, making sure not to take in to much of the steaming contents.

In spite of herself, the young brunette found she was somewhat unknowing desperate to receive his approval in this, such a basic act, ''Is it...good?''

He paused as he let his eyes observe the darkened brown liquid, swirling within the mug like a miniature whirlpool, before saying quite simply, ''Yes...surprisingly so.''

For a moment Tifa was sure she had misheard, his tone warmer, and somewhat unnerving, so, quickly, she decided to change the subject, ''Speaking of surprises...you're a...well you're an impressive fighter...''

A deep, yet short lived chuckle escaped the President's lips, and was proceeded by a half smile, that wasn't exactly soft, but it didn't seem as sharp or threatening as some of his others, though his response was something completely new and unexpected...a compliment..., ''Well it's not everyday I get to defeat such a formidable opponent.'' Well a compliment of sorts anyway.

Tifa let out a disbelieving sigh, her voice a whisper, almost teasing in tone, ''Flattery...''

The pair locked eyes for a few moments, and although both remained straight faced and focused, each could not deny the playful glint deep within one another's eyes.

The brunette was the first to break the untouching contact and took a sip of her tea, ''So...why are you still here? Haven't you got anything better to do?''

In an instant his eyes returned to their icy depths and his tone changed completely once again, and he spoke without a hint or a smidgen of gentility ''Yes, in fact, I do have better things to do.''

Rufus raised from the stool and held out his hand, awaiting for the brunette to take it in a parting gesture, which she did so within seconds, though her movement was somewhat hesitant.

Both of their hands had been warmed by the mugs which they had held, and although the hand shake was short, it was strangely comforting, ''Goodbye Miss. Lockhart.''

And before she could utter the same he had fled the room, leaving a slightly intrigued and yet very confused brunette to finish her tea alone.

The moment the blonde was through the bar entrance he delved his slender hand into the pocket, hidden within his jacket and pulled out his mobile phone, quickly finding the wanted name in his address book and pressing the correct button, proceeding to hold the contraption up to his right ear.

A muted beep sounded from the receiver, signalling the chosen recepitant had answered and was now awaiting his news with eager patience, to which the President supplied with a cold, yet confident air, ''TLAS is in place...we're in.''

* * *

A/N= Ok, I myself, am unsure whether I like this chapter or not...but hopefully it's ok!

Oh and I just wanna say, thank you to 'Maurelle' for the suit idea XD

The next chapter should be out by the end of the week!


	9. Ch8: Day Dreams and Unseen Distractions

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy does not belong to me...however much I may like it to. I own no characters, places etc. etc. so please don't sue me! I'm a nice person :)

Author's Note: Chapter Eight...PLEASE review as I really enjoy reading your views and they inspire me to get better! It would make me very very happy! Anyway stop reading this and get on with reading the fic! Hope you enjoy! :)

**Chapter Eight: Day Dreams and Unseen Distractions**

_The air whipped at the outer hem of the young woman's skirt, making it billow gently against the bare skin of her smooth, toned legs, and the brunette locks that fell loosely about her face, brushed lightly upon her uncovered shoulders, causing her senses to tingle with a sort of ticklish delight._

_A strong, suited arm snaked its way around her slender waist and pulled her soft, curvaceous body forwards, towards its owner tentatively, but also with a hint of demanding desire and when the two forms collided, there was a definitive sigh of contentment from both their lips. _

_A cloak of starry twilight had seemingly wrapped itself around the pair, whom began to almost dance around the balcony on which they stood, their bodies floating with a graceful ease, as though neither had weight or density, yet each could feel the gentle pressure applied from one another's touch._

_When the two twirling forms finally stopped, all be it through need rather than want, the young man held the brunette up against the marble white wall, her back pressing up upon the cold surface, whilst her warming breath escaped past her lips and brushed softly against the icy, pale skin of her partner._

_A few strands of his white blonde hair strayed down in front of his almost sky blue eyes, which gazed into her own crimson tinted orbs with an intensely passionate, and powerful hunger, increased immensely by the authoritative confidence, that seeped from every inch of his beautifully perfect face. _

_The close proximity of his body to her own, was teasingly unbearable and soon his soft smirk was a mere breath away from her own gentle smile, and as his lips reached out, brushing ever so lightly upon her own, he whispered her name over and over in a delicately seductive, velvet soft tone, ''Tifa...Tifa...Tifa...''_

''TIFA!'' The high pitched squeak that was forcefully sounded from the young ninja'slips, resonated around the bartender's ear drums, snapping her out of her mindless day dream and into the reality of the present.

Yuffie glared at her noticeably dazed friend with an overall look of annoyance, yet with a hint of unimpressed disdain, ''Have you been listening to me at all!...''

Tifa ran a set of five, nervously fidgeting fingers through her darkened locks and rather unconvincingly sighed, ''Yeah...''

A solitary eyebrow raised upon the young ninja's face, ''Oh yeah? So you won't mind telling me what we were talking about then...''

''...Maaatteria?'' Her face was clenched slightly, her hopeful uncertainty showing through in her tentatively lingering slur.

Yuffie shook her head in an exaggerated form of unimpressed disappointment, and proceeded to wail dramatically at the brunette, ''I was talking about my incredibly cool new ninja skills!...You twonk!''

Tifa curled her upper lip in a tired sort of half smile, ''Sorry Yuffie...I'm just...feeling a little out of it lately...'' Her gaze lowered as she reached down to pick up one of the leaflets which littered the bar top, ''It's probably got something to do with all this.''

Displayed clearly upon the front of the shiny, glossy publicity creator was the printed phrase ''Seventh Heaven's Grand Re-Opening after New Refurbishment'' And underneath that, in much smaller, italics letters were the words, ''Funded exclusively by President Shinra''.

The whole thing had been rather unexpected, and when she had received the box of leaflets she'd felt both a mix of confusion, anger, frustration and excitement. It wasn't that she didn't like the new look bar, after all, it had been created for her, without the brunette having to lift a single finger in effort, but then that had consequently meant that it had somewhat been stripped of the personality and atmosphere, which she had lovingly injected into the first, original design.

It was nice though, and in actual fact, it reminded her slightly of the young President's office; clean cut, modern, simple colours, with lots of symmetrical lines and, of course, very much organised.

The floor was a darkened, polished wood, almost black in shade, which matched the bar top, shelves, alcohol holders and the door perfectly, yet the rest of the furniture was a pale, soft cream, and seemingly balanced out the hard tone of the wood rather skilfully.

The room was also decorated with simple, yet clearly expensive items, including chrome spot lights and four delicately sculptured, glass flowers, fixed to each corner of the bar, the petals deep purple in shade, with both yellow and black, prong like shapes in their centres.

The young ninja rubbed the rounded, bottom edge of her chin, seemingly musing over some newly arisen thought, ''You sure he isn't doing all this coz he's in love with you or something?''

Tifa almost choked on her own gasp of shock, ''What?''

''Well...he sent you flowers...took you out to dinner...and then paid for your bar to be done up...sounds like he's interested in you more than just another one of his common victims...''

''Poppycock...'' Although she was smirking, the brunette's tone had been more than a little under-confident in its conviction, and this hint was only enforced further by her rather nervously added statement; ''Anyway...I hardly know him...''

The ninja shrugged casually and sighed out a deep, lingering breath, ''So?''

Tifa laid one firm, angered hand upon her hip, ''He's pompous!'' She now raised a finger from her free hand, and began motioning gestures, as if she was delivering an empowering speech, ''...Egotistical!'' Her voice rose in both tempo and volume, ''...Power hungry! Not to mention, incredibly-''

She was cut off by the rather inappropriately excited ninja, whom had jumped up with a deviously cheeky smirk plastered upon her soft, young face, ''Handsome, youthful, successful, and deliciously LOADED!''

Tifa raised an rather unimpressed, dubious eyebrow, ''You don't really understand the concept of morals do you?...''

* * *

By eight o'clock that evening, the newly opened bar was bustling with activity, slowly filling to the rim with customers, mostly suited and booted to an impressive standard, and yet almost none, apart from an odd few, actually old regulars.

Although the newer, more unknown customers, were posh and quite obviously rich in the amount of money they spent on both their clothes and their drinks, Tifa couldn't help but hope that the poorer, and as such, friendlier customers that graced her bar just a few weeks previous, would return in time.

The brunette handed a tray, with a group's drinks order balanced upon it, to their supposed leader, who, much to her dislike, seemed to have a rather large stick up his ass, causing him to both insult and flirt outrageously with her, in rhythmic succession.

She couldn't help but let out a sigh of, previously withheld, relief as the young man walked away, and within moments the brunette returned to piling up the dirty glasses behind the bar top.

The bell from above the bar door (the only thing she'd managed to put back up since the redecoration) signalled the entrance of a new customer with a gentle tinkle, and Tifa glanced away from her work and up to the sound's culprit, allowing her curiously to briefly overtake her need to clean.

The sight which her crimson tinted gaze met with, pleasantly surprised the bartender; the familiar, if rather unexpected face of the young woman, filled her with some sense of comfort, knowing, at least from the brief time she spent within her company, that she was nice, and friendly, at least compared to the other customers that is.

Before the newly entered woman could even begin to observe her surroundings, Tifa was waving her over to the bar enthusiastically, ''Jane!''

She seemed surprised that the bartender had remembered her name, but was more than a little mortified that she was calling her over rather loudly, causing the attention of many a customer, and the young woman proceeded as quickly as she could, across the room and to the bar, hoping that when she got there, the curious stares would be averted.

Jane smiled lightly, ''Hello Miss. Lockhart.''

''Oh, please...call me Tifa, kay?''

She nodded her head in agreement, the light brown, almost blonde, locks which were pinned and clipped back by a tortoiseshell clip, becoming ever so slightly loose with the motion.

''What can I get you?''

''Just an orange juice please.''

Tifa soon returned with a glass of the bright yellow substance, and as she handed it to the young woman, she couldn't help the curious, yet also confused arch which formed upon her brow, ''If you don't mind me asking...how come you're here?...It's just...you don't exactly strike me as a bar type of person...''

Jane didn't seem offended by the bartender's question at all and instead shone her a genuinely honest smile, ''Well I saw your leaflet...and seeing as I am the President's secretary...it seemed only natural that I should show my face.''

''Makes sense...'' As the young woman took a tentative sip of her drink, Tifa decided to push something that she'd wanted to inquire about since the moment she'd met the young secretary, ''Jane...can I ask you something?''

She looked ever so slightly intrigued at her request, ''Yes, of course.''

''What's it like to work for Rufus?''

Her reaction was almost comical in its nervousness, ''I...I don't know if I should...I mean...I not sure whether I should be...you know..._gossiping_...and about my boss-''

Tifa silenced her with singularly playful flash of the eyes, ''Oh come on, just between us girls...''

There was a pause of more than a few seconds as Jane seemingly mulled it over, and much to the bartender's delight, she seemed to cave, ''Well actually...he's quite nice...not always verbally of course...not that he's mean...just... sometime he can be a bit...rude...occasionally...''

Tifa raised a disbelieving eyebrow at this, which caused the young woman to sigh, ''Ok, most of the time...but he thanks me for good work...and he...well was especially..._understanding_...over my need for time off a few months ago when my mother...well she, she got ill...''

The brunette leaned further upon the bar, drawing her face closer and muttering, trying desperately to mask her growing interest, ''Go on...''

The pair continued to talk for over an hour, their conversation subject almost completely focused on the President, with Jane slowly becoming more open and verbal with every sip of orange juice, which, unknown to her, the young brunette had spiked with the smallest amount of rum, in a genuine desire to attempt to help the young woman loosen up.

It was only when she caught sight of the retro styled clock hanging above the bar, that she ceased with the conversation and began gathering up her bag, ''Oh my...I should really be going!''

Just as Tifa opened her mouth to begin protesting, the bar door swung open to reveal the red headed Turk, whom proceeded to stroll up to the bar top, with his cheeky, trademark smirk formed upon his thin lips, ''Yo darling!...Well isn't this swanky...can't believe Rufus actually paid for all this...must be going bonkers or something...''

When Reno reached the pair, his eyes darted somewhat disbelievingly at the young secretary, ''Woah! Jane, what are you doing here? Well...I must say I'm impressed...I didn't think you even knew the meaning of the word fun!...I always imagined you staying home in the evening, knitting...bobble hats or something!''

Jane glared at the red head for no more than a fraction of a second, before turning to the brunette and mouthing something that looked like, _''I'll come by again another time...''_, and then proceeded to swiftly exit the bar.

Tifa shifted her gaze to her new, very much familiar customer and sighed in an almost slightly amused exasperation, ''Reno...''

The young Turk on the other hand just looked at her, mouth agape and eyebrows contorted in complete befuddlement, ''What? What did I say?''

* * *

Meanwhile, later that night...

The clacking of the young woman's heels against the hard, cold pavement, echoed down the empty street, which was bathed in a darkened orange glow, radiating softly from the towering lights seemingly hovering in symmetric patterns along the walls of the houses which lined the area.

An array of spindly, thin shadows managed to blacken out the sections of the concrete and brick, and gave the street an eerie, hollow feeling, as if each and every house that resided there was void of all life, and that she, Jane, was completely alone.

Every small rustle made her skin tighten and shiver in nervous paranoia, her mind battling to convince her trembling body and fear induced thoughts that it was just a stray, dried leaf, whose lightened structure was easily put into motion by the presence of a light breeze.

A few, thin strands of light brown locks fell forward, slipping their way out from the tortoiseshell hair clip, and brushing against the skin of her slightly reddened cheeks and as she let out a breath of air to escape their grasp, a whitened billow appeared, like a miniature cloud, caused by the cold, icy air which had formed since the sky had darkened.

Her pale, light jade shaded eyes, darted from door to door, searching for the familiar silver plated number, which would signal to her that she had finally arrived home at last, and would soon be safe, inside within the thick, comforting walls, that would lock out the chill and keep the cimmerian shadows from her.

After only a few more ample steps, the young woman found herself standing in front of her desired destination, and quickly dove her petite, slender hand into the small, black leather handbag hanging from her shoulder and soon drew out a set of golden bronzed keys.

The metal was warm against the chilly, soft skin of her fingertips, almost likeable to the feeling of snow cold feet on a newly made hot water bottle, painful, but also numbing.

Jane's fingers fumbled with the many keys attached to the chain, trying desperately to find the correctly shaped unlocking device, which had been carved specifically for her house, and her house alone.

In a matter of seconds she had slipped the item into the small, black hole and with a definitively satisfying click, the door came away from the frame ever so slightly, as the lock broke it's hold, allowing the young woman to gently enlarge the gap and slip through, before proceeding to use her shoulder to nudge it back into place, sounding another click, though this time to signal to her that it was bolted and locked once again.

As she slide out of her heels, and let her jacket fall away from her form, she sighed tiredly, proceeding to pull her hair free from the restraints of the clip and let it fall about her shoulders, making her face suddenly seem more relaxed, as the sides were no longer being pulled or strained.

The feeling of calming relaxation that Jane had started to experience, unfortunately, only lasted for the brief time which it took her to stroll from the entrance hall to the door, which lead to the living room.

As she curled her gripping fingers around the door knob, a foreboding chill shot up her spine, and her eyes narrowed for slightest of seconds, as if her brain was trying to process how realistic, or likely it was that her fear was coming more from her lone vulnerability at that moment, rather than an actually threat, though the moment the door creaked away from her and out into the room, her mind went blank, and she was unable to stop both the silent gasp that escaped her lips, and the widening of her eyes from behind the glassy surface of her gold rimmed frames.

All coherent thoughts seemed to evaporate in an invisible flash, as though a wall or curtain had been pulled away to reveal something completely unexpected, but also completely unwanted.

The standing man didn't make eye contact with her at all, and instead retained his focus, seemingly unblinking, upon the wall opposite him, his eye line only centimetres from her own, though his did not, even for a moment, shift to hers, like he was hypnotised, or controlled, and only when her eyes began to slowly scan the room, did she seem to begin to understand his formal, guarding nature.

His right hand was firmly placed upon his knee, balanced on top of his crossed position, his body leaning against the back of the sofa, with the elbow of his left arm, lazily resting across the back of the piece of furniture, with his skin almost gently brushing against the smooth surface of the neighbouring wall, by which it was pressed to.

The mere presence of him within her own home seemed threatening, and in fact, in her mind, there was no doubt that it was meant to be so.

She couldn't bring herself to speak, and instead stayed rooted to the spot, unmoving; not that her nerve ridden body would have allowed her to move an inch, even if she'd tried.

When the young man spoke, there were no hints of warmth, and even his all to familiar smirk of authoritative arrogance was non-existent, and instead in its place there was a icy, penetrating glare, as if he was trying, with much difficultly to suppress a surge of anger, ''Ms. Taylor...I'm afraid we have a problem. ''

* * *

The next morning in Tifa Lockhart's flat...

Reno yelped like seagull, as his limp, dazed body collided, rather painfully, with the hard, uncomfortable surface of the living room's hardwood flooring.

''Ergh...'' His muffled sigh slash groan was due to both the soon to be bruised skin from the side of impact, and the heavy pang resonating around his skull, almost as if his head was a giant bell and something had just caused it to chime erratically.

As his eyes flickered open to allow him to fully view his surroundings, a pair of bare, clearly feminine feet appeared within his line of vision.

I knowing, teasingly playful smirk formed upon his thin, slightly dried lips,_ I know those toes... _Immediately the young Turk's memory cleared, the previous nights alcohol consumption, not enough to cloud his mind completely, and in an instant he knew exactly where he was.

Reno smiled gratefully without raising his aquamarine gaze, and from his very fuzzy feeling throat, managed to croak out; ''Thanks Tif.''

He heard the distinctive rustle of magazine pages, and without looking, he almost felt her warm, friendly, if a little disapproving gaze upon him, and the sound she made in response, seemingly enforced this assumption, ''Hm.''

The red head hauled himself from his flat, lying position and sat himself down, so he was leant against the back of the sofa, with his legs being held by the top of the coffee table, much to the young woman's annoyance, ''So then...how much did I drink this time before I passed out?''

Again without actually looking at her, Reno could feel her face contort and a single eyebrow raise in a sort of befuddlement, ''You didn't pass out Re...you were knocked out...''

It was then that the young Turk caught sight of his reflection in the blackened surface of the Television screen, which was directly opposite him, but half camouflaged by the coffee table which was placed in front of it, ''Huh.'' _Ok...maybe my memory isn't that unaffected _

His face was particular red on the upper left side, the delicate skin that surrounded his eye was rather swollen, and parts had begun to turn a purple tinted black, with the outer edges taking on a greenish hue. Reno suddenly couldn't help but feel a little bit glad that he couldn't actually remember the incident; the embarrassment of him, a trained, supposedly lethal Turk, being knocked out by a mere, everyday customer was a particular memory he didn't want in his brain's personal storage cupboard.

Tifa lowered her magazine, and grimaced slightly as she observed his wounded face, not to mention his wounded pride, and attempted to offer some sort of consolation ''He was...quite big...and you were...quite drunk.''

When all she received in response was a rather disbelieving huff, she decided to try some reasoning, ''You have a habit of getting on people's nerves...'' Though again when all she got was a effortless huff, she raised a solitary eyebrow for the second time that morning and before she took a bite from the previously untouched bacon sandwich that had laid upon the plate, balanced in her lap, she muttered, rather sarcastically, under her breath, ''Though I can't imagine why...''

Unfortunately for her, Reno's hearing was better than she'd given him credit for, and within seconds a teasingly cheeky smirk had appeared upon his bruised face, as a plan formed in his mind.

Before the brunette could think or react in any way, Reno had bolted, like the truly spry Turk he was, from his position on the floor, and had, in the swiftest of motions, grabbed the warm, meat filled sandwich from her own loosened grasp.

Tifa's face turned almost as red as the young Turk's hair, and she let out a fury induced bellow, ''This isn't helping your case Reno!'' But her comment was futile, as by this point, he was already half way down the stairs, heading for the bar, and the door proceeding it.

She quickly dashed from the room and attempting to chase after him, if not really for her sandwich, then for her self-respect; she wasn't the type to let a man get the better of her.

When she arrived at the bottom of the stairs, she almost crashed through the archway, which lead to the bar, at full pelt, though when she entered the space, she stopped immediately, having to somewhat grind her heels to a halt, as if her body was like a propelled wheel suddenly needing to brake.

Reno was stood in the middle of the bar, his body facing her, but his eyes darting around the room's walls and corners as though seeing or detecting something peculiar, particularly noted by his furrowed brow, showing him to be confused, suspicious and yet also deep in thought.

She approached him tentatively, his form unmoving, and his usually alert senses either not recognising her or choosing not to react to her presence in the slightest, his mind seemingly too busy or too distracted with his own musings, ''Are...are you ok?''

After a few moments of silence, the red head answered her, his voice soft and distant, and his aquamarine gaze continuing to survey the room, as if searching for something, ''Yeah...just...'' He paused in a sort of un-surety, his mind undecided on what to say, or rather what he _**should **_say.

The brunette's own brow arched, though hers in concern, and curiosity as to why her friend was acting in such an aloof manner, and after observing his actions for a couple more quite moments, she could have sworn he was trying to pick up, or detect something with his ears rather than his eyes.

Within that moment of realisation, her concern for himsuddenly turned into concern for her bar, which shone through both her widened eyes and her insistent tone, ''What is it? What's wrong?''

It was only then that the young Turk met her gaze, though only for a swift second, before he shifted it again, and muttered, almost too quietly for Reno, ''Nothing...'' He proceeded to throw the stolen item back to her, which she of course, with her alert reactions, caught perfectly and then again, he muttered distractedly, all be it slightly louder this time, to his brunette friend, ''I'll see you later.''

And with that, the red head strolled quickly out of the bar, leaving an incredibly curious, not to mention utterly confused Tifa once again alone, with a rather cold, mangled sandwich grasped within her hand.

* * *

A/N= I know, not much Rufus in this at all, but again, like I've said before, he isn't gunna be in every chapter...plus the last two have been mainly Tifa/Rufus focused, so I thought a break was needed, plus there was a lot of stuff I needed to get in before continuing with any more Tifa/Rufus stuff...anyway, hope you liked it :) Oh and in the dream sequence at the beginning, it isn't actually suppose to be competlely Rufus, it's just a day dream, though it is meant to imply that subconsciously she is beginning to feel some sort of attraction to him...if that makes any sense at all...probably not...dang

Oh and also I'm sorry I took me so long to get out...I haven't slept like a normal person for months now...


	10. Ch9:Missing Workers & Hidden Revelations

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy does not belong to me...however much I may like it to. I own no characters, places etc. etc. so please don't sue me! I'm a nice person :)

Author's Note: Chapter Nine...PLEASE review as I really enjoy reading your views and they inspire me to get better! It would make me very very happy! Anyway stop reading this and get on with reading the fic! Hope you enjoy! :)

**Chapter Nine: Missing Workers and Hidden Revelations**

The vibrations which rippled around the elevator walls were almost so soft now, that they were becoming somewhat non existent, the gentle buzzing which the red head, when first entering the small, metal space, had been so aware of, now seemingly unnoticeable, the unrelentingly teasing annoyance forgotten during the lingering journey to his forced destination, as his body now comfortably leant against the mirrored back surface of the contraption.

A tired, somewhat exasperated sigh crept out of his lips, almost as if trying to air a protesting response to the person responsible for his current situation, even though he knew quite clearly, his form was the only presence within the enclosed space, not of course counting the replica item of himself he had created when using the only reflective wall as a resting post.

As a new line of red, luminous double digits began their ascent upon the angular, blackened screen fixed above the thick, overlapping doors, the young Turk gave a groan, proceeded by a long list of muttered profanities, all directed upon the subject of slow company elevators.

To make matters worse, as he was grumbling to himself, the red head's concentration somewhat evaporated, and as such with his mind distracted, he allowed his grip to loosen slightly, which in turn allowed the brown, paper-like folder to slip carelessly out from under the previously firm hold of his left hand.

This of course, received another groan from Reno, making it his eleventh groan of the day, the other nine in fact, having been played out before he'd even got into the elevator, when his raven haired superior had given him the job of delivery boy in the form of taking useless, formality papers to the President's secretary.

After airing the low, rumbling sound, he forced his unwilling form to descend, his un-eager fingers eventually becoming close enough to reach the escaped sheets of thin, ink riddled material, and as he began to shift them, once again back into their boringly brown, school-like case, he couldn't stop the indignantly child-like tantrum from bubbling up within his mind.

_Stupid Tseng...What does he think I am?...His slave?...I mean, come on! Elena is clearly more suitable for this kinda thing...she'd make a perfect slave...pretty sure she'd enjoy it too...ass kisser..._

The young Turk's focus had been so concentrated on both his tidying and his self deliberations, he had somewhat failed to notice how close the warm shaded numbers were getting to his own chosen two, that when he did finally allow his aquamarine gaze to rise, he only had a few brief moments in which to both straighten his appearance, and prepare himself mentally, just encase he was forced to actually make contact with young man, instead of just his secretary, after all, his raven haired superior didn't really scare him enough to care about his formality, but the President on the other hand, well, he seemed able to intimidate the red head in a way no one else could.

When the doors slide open, along with the delightfully relieving ping, he was met with the sight of the familiar vision of cleanliness and order he'd come to relate with a showroom; the walls, the curtains, the furniture, even the views from the beautiful white window frames seemed to have been painted, as if only a select few were good enough for the cold, blue eyes of the President.

As the red head approached the secretarial desk centred within the middle of the room, there was no avoiding the fact that the chair located behind the curved wooden frame, was quite clearly completely void of the mousy, Reno-disapprover, Jane Taylor.

A solitary, rather confused looking eyebrow raised itself upon the red head's previously emotionless face,_ That's odd... _And within a second his brow movement had switched from confused to suspicion as the full strangeness of the empty space dawned on him; it was well known that the President's secretary had never in all her years at the company taken a sick day, or indeed, even a holiday, apart from of course that one time a few months back, but that had all been very private.

Before he could begin any sort of personal investigation, Reno's perfectly astute senses picked up on the distinctive metallic click of a latch encased within its wooden frame.

''Damn.'' The red head quickly swerved back, and away from the desk, quickly coming to face the opening door at the end of the room, out of which stepped not just the President, but also the familiar forms of Tifa Lockhart and Yuffie Kisaragi.

_What the hell... _The young Turk quickly scanned the area, as if searching for a place to hide or to make himself scarce, not sure whether or not it would be wise to be seen by the unusual triplet, of would be enemies.

Though unfortunately for him, he didn't have much of a chance, as within seconds the petite ninja had switched her eyes from their previously fixed point of the two forms by her side, to the red headed Turk standing quite noticeably in the middle of the otherwise palely pristine room.

Neither her face or her voice was exactly full of jubilation, but instead rather hyped with childish energy, ''Reno!''

The red head had to try especially hard to mask over the grimace which threatened to form, with the result being a slightly hesitant, if not totally forced smile, ''Hey Yuffie...'' The greeting he gave the ninja was seemingly muttered in an equally uncomfortable state, though he proceeded to give a completely controlled, formalised nod of recognition to the young blonde who stood behind.

Only a few seconds of silence were allowed to pass, until once again, the ninja decided it was her job to instigate conversation between them, ''So, what are you doing up here? I thought you were like...thirty floors down...?'' Her voice was purposefully patronising within its context, the floor number said with a forceful exaggeration, as if assuming, not altogether wrongly, that they represented the worker's level within the company.

Reno wasn't amused in the slightest, and if the comment hadn't been made within the same room as the President, he probably would have picked up the young ninja and thrown her out of his own office window so she could appreciate just how high up his level was, but instead, he just raised a rather disinterested and unimpressed eyebrow, before proceeding in a rather matter-of-fact tone, ''Ten floors down actually...and I was just bringing up some papers from Tseng.'' He swiftly brought the folder into view, before handing it over to the blonde, who looked at it in a state of total disinterest.

The red head's curiosity gave him a sharp niggle, reminding him immediately of the room's missing occupant, proceeding to shift his gaze slightly to the empty desk chair, before adding with a hint of gentle questioning, ''...I would have left them with your secretary, but...''

Rufus picked up on the small, motioning gesture given by the young Turk, and proceeded to put on an utterly false display of authoritative concern, ''Ah yes, unfortunately Ms. Taylor has had to take sick leave, it was all rather sudden, and as yet I haven't found someone with the same secretary skills to fill in for her.''

Although this seemingly satisfied the two young woman, Reno was less than convinced, and eyed him with a glint of suspicion, but eventually decided that pushing the subject wasn't really an option, and instead turned him attention to his brunette friend with narrowed eyes and a somewhat troubled hiss, ''What are you doing here?''

Before Tifa could even register the question that had been directed at her, the President seemingly decided that it was his place to answer for her and stepped forward ever so slightly, before flashing a half hidden smirk, his voice literally dripping with his trademark arrogance, ''Miss. Lockhart was just thanking me for my **services**.''

In a moment of complete Reno-style ignorance, the young Turk's eyebrows raised to a comic level of surprised confusion, ''Services?''

Yuffie gave an unimpressed giggle of sneering amusement before correcting him with a rather patronizing glare, ''With the bar Reno...''

''Oh...'' After the brief relief subsided, the realisation of both the ninja's and the President's words actually hit, and a flash of disbelief danced across his aquamarine eyes which were now fixed questioningly upon the brunette, ''Really?''

Tifa gave him a small, somewhat mocked smile, ''Well...I didn't want to seem ungrateful...'' Although her words seemed genuine enough, her eyes flashed with a sense of playful defiance, a flash that Reno decoded as being somewhere along the lines of; 'Yuffie practically forced me with her constant nagging.' _Figures..._ In turn, he responded with a knowing smirk, letting her know in a discreetly personal fashion that he understood.

Obviously not taking note of the the shared quiet between them, the ninja perked up again, ''Yeah, and he wants to redo her flat as well! She keeps saying no...but I'll convince her!''

''No!'' The sudden outburst from the red head was so loud and unexpected that both Tifa and Yuffie flinched slightly in response, though of course he received no such motion from the blonde, whom remained unmoving and seemingly unsurprised.

Sensing the tension which had quickly formed around them through the air of scared confusion between the female pair, Reno had to think fast and come up with a fractionally believable, if slightly quieter explanation, ''I just mean...it's her choice...''

One side of Yuffie's face seemed to curl upwards in a strange sort of grimace, ''Weirdo...''

The brunette saw the flare of anger alighting between them, and she knew all to well that any more time within eachothers presence, would only end in chaos, thus making the decision to quickly terminate the visit, ''Well...me and Yuffie better be going!''

Firmly grasping the young ninja by the wrist, Tifa began to gently drag her away, though not before the petite female could spin around and flashed one of her cheeky smiles, along with a both extremely unneeded, and situationally misjudged choice of parting words, ''Yeah, see ya later Mr. P.!''

Rufus's expression was almost comical in its emotionless restraint, and both Reno and Tifa took on a rather unforgiving look of embarrassment.

When the two females finally reached the elevator, ripples of relief almost flowed from the brunette's expression, and just before the pair of thick metallic doors began to close them off from the floor, she shared a warming smile with the red head, knowing he would take it as the knowing inquiry; 'See you later?'

Tifa didn't have to even wait until the doors were a quarter of the way across, to receive the response she was hoping for from the young Turk in the form of a concealed, though clear nod of the head.

As he watched the elevator seal itself off completely, and slowly begin the descend back down, Reno found himself becoming steadily more uncomfortable with each passing second, somewhat sensing the President's eyes fixed upon him, quite literally, burning like ice.

* * *

The digitally lighten numbers attached just above the door, moved and changed in succession with each passing level, the smooth, silver-tinted metal box having started its journey once again, back down to the much securer, in the brunette's eyes anyway, ground floor.

Though this small relief seemed to have no affect upon the young woman, whom was still seemingly mortified at her petite friend's outburst, the red hue that had flared up, only now starting to dim, and the ninja's clueless expression was not helping matters.

''Could you have been any more...you?''

''Huh?'' The petite ninja's eyes widened in a befuddled indifference.

''...'Mr. P.', I mean really!''

Yuffie raised a solitary eyebrow, attempting to look serious in her suspicion, but there was no escaping the hint of playful teasing underneath, ''Why are you so bothered what I called him?...It's not as if **you **don't do it too...you're always calling him Mr. Jackass, or Mr. Arrogant Jerk, or Mr. Stupid Flicky Hair, or-'' She was cut off by a rather self-embarrassed Tifa, who was rather desperate to stop the role, on which Yuffie was, and could have kept on, for quite sometime.

''That's not the point!...The point is, you can't go around addressing him like that to his face...''

Although the brunette's voice had been somewhat hushed, Yuffie's was decidedly opposite in both pitch and tone, ''...Pfft! Why not?''

''Because...he might...burn down my bar or something equally important to me...''

The ninja turned away ever so slightly, muttering under her breath whilst once again allowing a singular side of her brow to rise, ''I think you're being a little bit over dramatic...''

Her voice was just a smidgen too soft for Tifa to pick up, though the general muffed buzz that had emerged from her friend's mouth did not gone unnoticed, and she made quick work of her selective assumption, ''You don't know him...''

There was only the slightest of pauses before the ninja responded, and this time her tone was completely serious in its questioning, which was a strange enough occurrence to make the conversation that little more surreal, ''Do you?''

''What are you talking about?''

''Well, you claim to know exactly how he feels...how he's going to react, but...you don't know him any more than me...not really...''

Tifa's brow contorted, though not out of rage or annoyance at her young friend, but more in thoughtful musing, the comment clearly having a profound affect upon the previous conviction she felt about her place with the President.

The silence that proceeded to settle around the pair and within the elevator's closed atmosphere was seemingly to much for the young ninja to bear, and after only a few moments, she started up again, ''What was all that about with Reno?''

''I don't know...he's just been acting a little off lately...'' The brunette trailed off tiredly, as her mind still battled with its focus, drifting seamlessly from the subject of the blonde, to the subject of her Turk friend.

''Maybe he's jealous...''

''Of what,...Rufus doing out my bar?''

Yuffie gave a weary sigh before attempting to correct the brunette, though almost as soon as she had started, she was cut off by a seemingly oblivious Tifa, ''Well no-''

''I mean, he is always complaining about his pay check...''

''No that's not what I-'' The ninja's words were once again proven to be unheard, and there was no hiding her growing frustration at both being ignored and misunderstood.

''His place is a dump...maybe I should ask Rufus to do out his flat instead-''

Eventually Yuffie's face had flared up to the point of explosion, and soon the full power of her voice overrode the brunette's, the after effects of which, seemed to reverberate off the walls so forcibly that the box's whole structure seemed to shake under it, ''NO YOU DUMMY! JEALOUS OF YOU AND THE PRESIDENT!''

Although she did not jump, there was no mistaking the surprise which flashed across her face like an unexpected tidal wave, though like such an occurrence of nature, it dissipated almost instantly, as the process of word absorption took its place, which in turn transformed her into a rather narrow eyed, unimpressed looking Tifa, ''I think you have a problem with your brain going missing...''

The ninja shook her head in mocking disappointment, ''Denial is a horrible thing Tifa...''

''What is this obsession you have with me and him?''

''Obsession? I've only mentioned it twice...I think it's you that's obsessed...'' As she finished up, her voice was specifically teasing in its descent of tone, and the bright flash which blazed behind her eyes was deliberately daring in its confidence.

Tifa's mouth gaped quite comically for a few seconds, before starting its own launch attack, ''Me? How? How on earth am I the one who's-''

She stopped mid-rant when she was met with the sight of a giggle ridden Yuffie, with one arm wrapped around her belly, whilst the other was busy using its fingers to point in wobbly hysterics at the young brunette, whom was looking on at a complete loss.

''What...what are you laughing at?''

The young ninja finally managed to gain an upper hand upon her giggle fit, and after a few steadying breaths she responded, though her voice still had hints of playful amusement, ''You, being all defensive! My Gawd Tifa! You can't hide stuff like this from me...I'm amazing, simple as! I just know these things! ...You are so crushing on him.''

Tifa let out a provoked sigh of irritation, ''No...I think he's a jerk.''

''A hot jerk...''

Her brow furrowed further, ''An **arrogant **jerk.''

''An arrogantly **hot** jerk...''

''Stop it...''

''Stop what?'' Yuffie flashed her a shy, innocently patronising smile.

The brunette looked just about ready to commit murder when the elevator doors gave a delightfully high ding as they slid open, revealing their forms to the ground floor entrance hall, in to which the ninja proceeded to skip cheerily, leaving a reeling Tifa to follow, stomping her feet as she went.

* * *

When he could no longer take the increasing tension that was seemingly growing between him and his Presidential superior, the red head quickly began to approach his escape; the elevator, giving only the briefest of glances towards the young blonde, whom was now slightly further from him, and muttered out a parting explanation, his voice, rather higher in pitch than usual, as if it was an excuse rather than the truth, ''Well..I better be off now Sir, Tseng will probably be-''

''I hope you're not planning on betraying me...'' Even though it was quieter, the President's voice surpassed over the young Turk's, and his tone was genuine in its silent warning, and yet dangerously close to being amused in the darkest sense.

Reno didn't even dare to turn around, every nerve in his body seemingly standing on edge in fearing un-surety, and when he gave a response, even he was surprised at the way it was almost choked from his lips, ''Betray you Sir?''

''I know, you know.''

A played chuckle of amusement escaped the red head, ''I don't know what you're-''

Again the blonde's soft voice was able to overpower his own in its authority, ''Don't insult me Reno...'' Though still having not turned around, the young Turk was able to sense the blonde's approach, as he took a few steps, almost potent in their air, towards him, ''Now...I will ask you again-''

He spun back around to once again face him at this point, though still made sure to keep his own aquamarine eyes from ever meeting his superior's, ''Listen Sir, I really don't know what you're talking about.''

True he wasn't interrupted this time, but the moment the last word passed his lips, the blonde drew uncomfortably close, and snarled threateningly, though still complete in his repose, and undoubtedly calm in his tone, making his words altogether more feared, ''**Don't** lie to me Reno...don't **ever**...lie to me...''

After a few passing moments, the red head tried desperately to calm himself, and proceeded to slowly allow his flickering gaze to ascend and meet with the cold, almost hollow blue gaze of the President, and eventually broke down in his persistent restraint, ''How did you find out...that I knew?''

''Well apart from the obvious...you're a Turk, you have been trained by the best, I knew you would work it out eventually, if you hadn't...well, I probably would have fired you for incompetence.''

If he hadn't be so unsure of the situation, Reno probably would have laughed at the genuineness of the blonde's final words, but with the matter now open, he felt it was his job to defend the young woman, whom he knew to be the real subject under discussion, ''Don't you think...I mean...isn't it...a little invasive...?''

Again when he spoke, Rufus managed effortlessly to add in almost brush-stroke soft hints of threat, ''If she is a good girl, she's got nothing to worry about.''

''But...Tifa...well I think she's...well she's becoming less...'' He stopped his somewhat nervous stammering, and tilted his gaze once again towards the President's, flashing him a large degree of his own distress, at his now, very personal, position, ''I think she might be beginning to like you...''

The almost displeased smirk that graced the blonde's perfectly sneering lips, was seemingly lined with an unusual increase in arrogance, as though he needed the extra to hide something beneath, though when he spoke, this was barely noticeable, ''Well then...she's more foolish than I thought.''

Reno eyes flared brightly at his superior, an almost daring menace flashing within the aquamarine shade, the insult that had been aired and directed at his friend, whom wasn't there to defend herself, seemingly too much for him to bear, and in an instant, his invisible emotional restrains broke down, and the smallest of growls rumbled deep, within the back of his throat.

Rufus almost exploded into a genuinely amused fit of disbelieving laughter, and when he spoke, his voice literally sounded as if it was, itself an over powering authority, ''Are you challenging me?''

His words seemed to have an immediate effect upon the red head, as if suddenly putting out the invisible flame which had burned up within him, and he proceeded to almost subconsciously play out the three ways of response he knew was expected; backing off, lowering his gaze and turning his voice back to a steady, respectful volume, ''No Sir.''

''Good, I would hate to have to...**dispose**...of such a talented employee.''

Reno did not need to shift in his focus, which was now directed at the smooth, mark-less floor, to know the truth, and seriousness of the masked threat.

The blonde rotated in one gracefully controlled motion, and began to walk back towards his office, ''Now, hurry along...'' His hand reached the door handle and turned it in place, before flashing another glance over to the young Turk, whom still stood, silently trembling by the elevator, ''Shin-Ra is counting on you.''

* * *

''No.'' A slight snarl curled its way from the brunette's otherwise delicate lips, though not directed at the words recipient, but rather so at the lock, in which the key partly grasped within her hand, was seemingly waging its own personal battle with the mechanisms inside.

''Oh come on Tifa!'' The petite girl's tone had seamlessly ascended into a even higher pitched wail, which seemed able to pierce through the air with an effortless ring.

''No...'' Tifa grunted as she gave the key another futile jiggle, her persistence only increased by the desperation to lock herself away from the pestering ninja, whom clearly wasn't deterred in the slightest, as she continued with her desperate attempts at pleading, which came out more as a yowl than an actual response.

''Pleeeeeaaaasssssseeeee!''

The brunette gave a weary sigh, and though her tone shared this feeling, it also had the edge of someone not quite ready to be defeated, ''Don't you have a home to go to?''

''Yeah, but it's boring...'' Yuffie took a step closer, allowing her form to lean gently upon the outside wall of 'Seventh Heaven', whilst pulling on one of her most sickeningly sweet smiles, and joining it with a pair of big, doey eyes, ''I'd much rather hang out with you...''

Tifa wasn't in the mood for a debate, and she knew that tone to well, knowing the ninja was not even close to giving up, she relented her pressured grip upon the door, which she'd managed to unlock just moments before, ''Fine...but on one condition...you have to stop going on about...**it**.''

''About what?''

''You know what...''

The ninja's eyes flashed with the all to familiar glint of devilish play, ''Oh you mean the whole thing about how you and Rufus are totally into each other, but neither of you will admit it, because you're a stubborn rebel and he's an uptight businessman?''

Tifa glared at her, completely unimpressed, though not totally surprised, ''You never really grasped the whole 'stop going on about it' bit did you?''

''Just admit it and I'll shut up...!'' ... _At least momentarily. _Her eyes glinted once again, though now toned down noticeably, as if trying to conceal her after thoughts from the brunette, whom already knew that the ninja would never actually shut up.

Even with this realisation, the young woman decided to take the easier opinion, and finally succumbed, though not wholly, as her words had a definite edge of resistance, ''...Maybe...he isn't** that **bad.''

The pleasure she got from her small victory was evident upon the ninja's face, as her expression brightened immediately, ''See! Doesn't it feel good to get that out!'' She grinned excitedly as she shifted past the brunette and through the now open door, but not before whispering teasingly, ''Little steps Tifa, little steps...''

* * *

Meanwhile back at Shin-Ra HQ...

Rufus pushed down upon the cold metallic surface of the door handle, allowing it to be closed with a silent grace, which only his gentle care seemed able to create.

He proceeded to move back over to his desk, with an equal air of quiet weightlessness, the hard soles of his patient leather shoes, seemingly unnoticeable against the soft, brushing of the carpet, and as he lowered his suited form into his Presidential chair, even the small tapping which sounded from the keyboard as his fingers played out upon it, seemed muted in some tamed sense.

The white brightness of the computer screen flickered over to a display of security boxes, in to which the young blonde quickly typed, his authority overriding every digital barrier, and soon he was faced with a sort of desktop folder, labelled clearly 'TLAS'.

He paused only briefly before motioning against the mouse, giving the displayed box a swift double click, forcing its contents to open up, and fill the screen with a covering of various boxes, all of which showed different views of a single space, the moving images within, playing out unknowingly before him, and as he watched the young brunette share some moment of comic relief with her ninja friend, he rested his head comfortably against the chair back.

_''I think she might be beginning to like you...''_

If anyone had been present to observe his facial expression at that moment of remembrance, they might have been the first to ever witness a genuine look of childlike happiness upon his face, that even Rufus seemed to be unaware of.

* * *

A/N= Ok sorry for the wait, I've been SUPER busy...and I'm likely to continue to be so for the next few months, but I'll try and keep these updates to once a week!

Oh and I know, again...not much RufusxTifa interaction in this chapter, but there is a reason...honest!

And I'm afraid that the next few chapters aren't gunna be having lots and lots of RufusxTifa face to face-ness (but d/w there will be a bit) because there's gunna be a gentle leading up to basically just RufusxTifa action...seriously...like chapters of JUST them..., so don't worry you're cravings will be satisfied eventually!

Oh and when Reno says 'I think she might be beginning to like you.'' he doesn't mean in the fancying way, but rather that she's becoming that little less guarded etc, just encase any of you were thinking it sounded off...seeing as Tifa hasn't actually said anything like that...to him at least!


	11. Ch10:Thoughtful Evenings&Quiet Decisions

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy does not belong to me...however much I may like it to. I own no characters, places etc. etc. so please don't sue me! I'm a nice person :)

Author's Note: Chapter Ten...PLEASE review as I really enjoy reading your views and they inspire me to get better! It would make me very very happy! Anyway stop reading this and get on with reading the fic! Hope you enjoy! :)

**Chapter Ten: Thoughtful Evenings and Quiet Decisions**

A mile or so from Seventh Heaven, inside an apartment complex...

The flat itself was relativity larger than one might expect and rather more stylish, for its outward appearance seemed to imply quite the opposite, with its slightly paint chipped door, and the peeling wallpaper which surrounded it, with its bobbly texture that always seemed to fascinate children, causing them to poke and run their hands over it, in much the same fashion as they insisted upon touching every bollard they walked by in the street.

In fact, the entire complex left little to be desired in the way of appearance, and seemed somewhat slightly out of place within such an area, true the street wasn't full of millionaire brokers and movie stars, but still, it wasn't exactly full of homeless cripples and deadbeat druggies either, and yet no one seemed to mind the building's tired structure, or its uncared for quality, instead choosing to either ignore, or accept it as cheap housing for those that had found themselves in financial difficulty and in need of a temporary stop.

It was most likely due to this assumption, that people had always been rather surprised when they heard a Turk chose to live there, after all Shin-Ra workers were known to make a fair bit of money, and with a Turk's work being so dangerous and sensitive when it came to the skill aspect, there was no need to doubt the number of zeros at the end of their pay-check would be rather more increased.

The red head though, didn't seem to bothered by his living arrangements, in fact, he had admitted on one or more occasions to Tifa and his fellow Turks that he preferred to live somewhere a bit more inconspicuous, not to mention very affordable, after all, he did happen to get wasted on many an evening, and the amount of damage he'd no doubt end up doing to a flashy home and the sums of gil it would cost him each week for repairs, well...it would probably bankrupt him in a matter of months, plus, there was no denying that the place seemed to suit the young man to a tee, down to the various stains, electrical faults, and the rather more than a tad unhinged neighbours.

Although he wasn't the type to hold dinner parties, movie nights, or any sober events for that matter, the interior of his apartment had been seen by both his co-workers, the young brunette bartender, and many an unnamed drunken female.

The place was somewhat dull in the way of décor, with the walls and carpets being either a natural cream, or a darken brown black, and the rooms seemingly barren of any decorative hints, like paintings or ornaments, though again with was all very Reno-ish, as while he might have been outlandish and outrageous in his own appearance and behaviour, he was little bothered when it came to something as unimportant as home style issues.

Though he did put some effort into creating a pleasant living area, as many a friend had noted with surprise, his kitchen was not piled with dirty dishes and aged food as most had suspected, but rather clean, and untouched, with nothing but a few empty pizza boxes waiting by the trash to be recycled.

His lounge had a somewhat similar feel, with the shelves lining the walls, filled equally with bits and pieces he owned, and with his sofa centred perfectly within the middle of the room, just the right amount away from the electronic screen, which covered a large section of the opposite wall.

It was in that room and on that precisely arranged piece of furniture that the red head now lay, the curtains drawn apart, though not through want of light, as the sun had set quite a few hours before, and yet the lamp which hovered just below the ceiling remained dormant, with the only source of illuminating rays seemingly coming from the Television set, which was blaring out at a considerable volume, creating a whitish, grey light to stream across the coffee table and onto the sofa in an unseen V direction, whilst also reflecting upon the glassy surface of the window pane, causing an mirror image to be imprinted upon it.

The young Turk's form was sprawled across the cushioned material, head resting against one edge, whilst his legs were cocked up upon the neighbouring arm, with one out stretched arm, whose shirt sleeve brushed upon the wooden surface of the coffee table, as its fingers traced the tumbler's smooth rim almost rhythmically.

He'd been stroking it like that for too long now, as if his body had somewhat forgotten that it was even carrying out the action, and yet part of his mind was still nagging at him to take another swig of the warming, amber liquid, that burned his throat with a fiery smoothness, and although rather painful in its effect, it passed quickly, managing only for a moment to pull him out from his headache worthy thoughts, and bring him back to reality.

Though of course this only lasted for the briefest of moments, resulting in an almost forceful urge to do it again and again, until he either stopped thinking altogether and passed in to unconsciousness, or became so unaware of his own thoughts that they no longer mattered, allowing him to forget for a at least a short while, the decisions he'd been left to make.

The red head seemed unaware or unable to hear the booming voices which emitted from the Television's speakers with a soft vibrating rumble, as his eyes focused themselves upon one of the shelves bordering the wall directly in front of the sofa arm on which his feet were propped.

He allowed his aquamarine gaze to roll over the shelf's surface, which was littered with a few personally valuable items, among which were his apartment keys, his goggles, his digital watch that Tseng had given to him with the hope he would use its alarm to help himself get to work on time, though in hindsight it wasn't the best gift, as instead the red head had set the alarm to go off not at getting up time, but rather going home time, and a framed photograph, of him and Tifa Lockhart, taken in the summer months of the previous year.

Reno's eyebrows furrowed slightly as he studied the captured moment, whilst the memories flooded back; it had been one of those glorious summer weeks, were the weather never faltered, and the air always seemed to smell warmly fragrant, with only the gentlest of cooling breezes presenting itself when needed. She'd invited him to go with her to the music festival that was held ever year upon on of the commons, they weren't especially great friends at the time, but they were in that middle process of getting to know one another, plus the young brunette had insisted he joined her because he looked like he needed a good dose of sunlight, and an even larger dose of fun entertainment.

Although he didn't end up getting a tan, the young Turk did rather enjoy himself, of course it would be fair to say he messed around a lot during working hours as well, but when he was on that common with her, he wasn't a Turk, and neither Tifa nor the festival's other inhabitants seemed to view him as one.

True enough, he did love his job, though it would also have been fairly accurate to say that he didn't love how the general public seemed to treat or act around him; after all, he was a Turk, and while they respected him in that 'please don't kill me' sort of way, they also looked at him as if he were no better than the dirt underneath their shoes for the things he did for money.

He'd become almost used to the idea that no one would ever treat him any differently, though when he and the young brunette had spent many a evening in her bar, just chatting about the most ridiculous things, he'd been rather pleasantly surprised that she seemed to overlook the Turk label, and although she'd make the odd comment every now and then, the honestly of her genuine interest and willingness to socialise was there.

Tifa hated his work, no doubt about it, but she also trusted him, as she probably would do with any other known friend, to be honest with her.

_She trusts me..._

If he didn't tell her what he knew, it was a betrayal of their friendship, and yet, if he did tell her, it was a betrayal of the company. With whichever way he decided to go, he would lose something, he knew that with a rather considerable degree of certainty, whether it be Tifa, or his job, or maybe even his life, but then again, maybe not, as whilst it was true that Rufus was rather the master at making threats...and carrying them out, Reno was a damn good Turk, and maybe, just one 'mistake', would be ok, well...not ok, but a liveable offence.

His brow contorted further as he focused upon the printed, glossy image, held behind that thin sheet of glass; her captured laugh, frozen in the height of its euphoria, his serene smirk, and the chocolaty ice cream stain dribbled upon his white, blue pinstriped shirt.

_She trusts me.._

The red head's eyes proceeded to flash with some sort of sudden realisation, whilst his fingers subconscious forced him to down the rest of the tumbler's amber contents, before allowing to to swivel up, and around to an upright sitting position.

He quickly made to grab a notepad which lay upon the coffee table's polished surface, ripping a small, long piece of paper out of the nearest page, just lager than a credit or id card, before rather hurriedly scribbling something down upon the blank material, while groaning at having to shake the Biro every so often to loosen the ink within, so as to allow it to glide upon the dry surface with an unseen ease.

Whilst he had been carrying out this dramatic performance, his free hand had been rummaging around, deep within the soft cotton lining of his jacket's inside pocket, and soon he brought out a wrinkled leather wallet, whose edges bulged and overspilled with old receipts and tokens he never bothered to throw away, with each one possessing a history or memory all of its own, with some being rather more important than others.

He swiftly parted the opening, so the notes within divided themselves, allowing him to nestle the piece of paper, which now held valuably important words, between their creased folds, before snapping it shut with a dull thump, and proceeding to exit the room and the apartment, leaving the Television still blaring out into the now empty, darkened room, keeping a somewhat illusion of remaining life.

* * *

More than an hour away, and a couple of miles from Shin-Ra HQ...

The young blonde strode through his bedroom door, his face somewhat showing a tired relief at being able to finally relax, even if it was only to the smallest degree, as he slipped off his jacket, ever so carefully, and proceeded to hang it perfectly upon the hanger hooked against the wardrobe door.

As he glided across the room, and into the en suite, he pulled gently at his collar, loosening the uppermost buttons, something he never did in front of others, not for a moment fearing unexpected company, after all he had never, in all his time living there, had any visitors.

It was one of those estates away from the city, yet still quite close to his precious company, and had the distinctive air of unadulterated authority, even in its design and construction, with every brick just oozing with unnervingly powerful wealth, and its interior was so clean, almost ordered in a way...that was how he liked things...controlled and exactly where they should be...

It was his place, for of course, he hadn't lived there when his father had been alive, oh no...this was something all of his own, well something else anyway, after all, he owned nearly everything within the city and in Gaia itself, not that people knew, well they did, they just didn't want to admit it, for to do so would be having to come to terms with the fact they had no real control over anything in either their world or their life.

He lowered his hands towards the sink bowl, cupping them together so as to gather a fair amount of the cold, flowing water, which was descending from the taps metallic rim, and proceeding to splash the icy, clear liquid upon his face, before running it through his white blonde locks.

The young man was quick to once again turn the tap's handle, causing it to cease its flow, after which he raised his concentrated gaze to the mirror held firmly above the sink, and seemingly proceeding to study his own reflection; his perfectly placed hair, which now shone with the odd reflective bead of dewy water, his sharply defined features, those lips able to smile smugly, arrogantly, confidently, though never genuinely, not in front of others anyway, and in fact, now he thought about it, he'd never seen himself smile as such. Then he came to his eyes, their cold, blue depths which seemed able to frost over with such an icy hardness...they would never change, they would always be unwarmed, perfectly cool and yet somewhat dead...that wasn't his fault, but then, what was wrong with looking so cold, so emotionless? He had often wondered whether people would ever perceive them differently, like the way they perceived Tseng's, or Reno's or Miss. Lockhart's.

Her eyes were warm, there was no doubt about that, from the moment he'd met his own penetrating gaze with her's, he had always thought so; those deep, chocolaty brown rings, that glinted with crimson flecks, making them appear to him, as a blaze, like tree wood being set aflame, and its complicated, fibrous material, that entwined and grew beneath the toughened, textured bark, glowing with a dangerously heated fire, that sparked dangerously with every unwanted movement.

Her eyes were seen to be open, friendly, kind, and as such, it seemed she was able to attain things, like his own, but in an opposite almost; she could get people to like her, love her even, whilst he got them to hate him...fear him.

Though did he even want his own icy gaze to be looked at differently? Wasn't the whole point of his image that he was stable and unchanging? But then...was that a weakness? To stay put and grounded, after all, he had always liked to bring in new ideas and new techniques, unlike his father whom had been seemingly stuck, choosing to stay with the tried and tested rather than the new and different, so in hindsight, the young President was really quite adventurous...though not that he appeared as such to anyone, well not under the category of adventurous anyway...

Rufus took another look at his own, hollow, piercing, almost deadly gaze, the icy shade so able to strike fear and hatred into so many, and yet he still seemed somewhat unfulfilled.

And let out a self-irritated huff, before proceeding from the room, and shaking his head with an almost light amusement, clearly bot h confused and baffled by his own mind track of pointless stupidity.

He was quick to make his way downstairs and into the kitchen, whose metallic style seemed equally as cold as the water he had thrown upon his face, and soon he had pulled open the refrigerator and lifted out a large, clear purifier, from which he poured himself a glass of crystal clear water, focusing upon the rim, with the glass material becoming chilly as it filled, the fingers pressed against its surface seemingly becoming numb, as the glass was coated so perfectly, and yet it still appeared untouched.

After replacing the item, and shutting up the door to the icy piece of equipment, the young blonde glided through to the living room, where, after taking a small sip from it, he proceeded to place his glass down upon a small mat, and sat down upon a largely comfortable ,office-style chair, placed directly in front of a computer, which the President was quick to awaken with a single push to the large, blue power button upon its hard drive.

Its started process was finished up as quickly as it had begun, after all, it was one of the best systems around, and before long he'd worked his way onto and around his desktop, clicking on a few dull yellow folders, though soon coming to a recognised folder, which was labelled with four distinctive capitalised letters.

''Let's see what you are up to tonight Miss Lockhart...'' The young man gave the item a quick click with the mouse, which focused the files to process and open up into the desired windows.

The young bartender was busy serving a customer when the image first flickered up, though after a few seconds, she had finished, and had returned to her previous action of tidying the various bottles and glasses behind the bar top.

Rufus watched intently at the delicately soft movements she used when polishing the clear, hard items...it was moments like this that she managed to reminded Rufus more of himself; she loved that bar, like he loved his company, true he'd never really admit how much it meant to him, but he cared for it, he needed it, and without it, he felt he would lose every single thing he'd worked for, the fear, the persona, the power, and this seemed to be what she felt, obviously not the same in context, but the idea still stood.

Tifa halted suddenly in her organizing, and seemed to be staring somewhat thoughtfully into the dark wooden shelving, lost in some sort of dream...the only thing Rufus could not view.

He had wondered if what he was doing was right, and if in fact, like Reno had said, it was all a terrible invasion of privacy...but then, he basically owned her, though she'd hate to admit it, and he had a right didn't he? To keep an eye on what was his. He liked that thought, of her being his, though he wasn't sure why, not really anyway, he seemed somewhat unable to understand his own feelings to even the smallest degree.

Of course through all these thoughts and actions, he never did quite understand or realise, just how socially weakened he had become; in his younger years he was able, to some extent, see what was right, and what was acceptable for him to do, though now, after everything, his father, the company, Sephiroth, the weapon attack...well it was like he'd been damaged, with only parts of him remaining.

The brunette on the screen spun around, and her face lit up, making Rufus's lip threaten to curl upwards in a half smile of enjoyment, though the motion soon ceased as he spotted the focus of her delight.

The familiar red headed male had entered, and was now focusing his way to the bar, an equally beaming smile seemingly plastered upon his face, as he enjoyed the shared vision of friendship.

Rufus's brow furrowed ever so slightly, though he wasn't entirely sure as to why...he'd never had to experience a feeling like this before, he'd didn't even know what jealously felt like, after all, he'd always got what he desired, with no one ever having something he wanted...well not for long anyway.

But did he really care about this anyway? She was just a girl, and shouldn't-didn't matter to him; women were merely pretty play things that offered some light relief and entertainment, like a good film, or a cigarette.

''Now, now...what do we have here...?''

As he watched their cheerful conversation, Rufus noticed something, something distant, yet noticeable, to him anyway, within the young Turk's demeanour, as though his body was unsure...nervous even... if still deciding upon something difficult, which both perked and somewhat concerned the blonde, whom although sure he had scared the red head, was also equally unsure as to whether or not he would be capable of keeping something so personally important, from a friend to whom he had grown undeniably close to, and whether his loyalty lay to her or the company.

The blonde continued to observed the picture displayed upon the screen, though this him he focused all his attentions upon the red head, rather than the young female.

* * *

Meanwhile over at 'Seventh Heaven'...

It hadn't taken the young Turk as long as hoped to arrive at the comfortingly familiar bar, and the walk had been somewhat less than desirable; it was one of those horribly damp nights, being neither especially chilly, or humid, but just rather normal...and damp, coupled only with the occasional ribbon of wind and the dense, rather quiet atmosphere, that filled the empty streets, whose lack of threatening movement should have made the red head feel somewhat safer, yet it just seemed to inflame his senses, making him feel an increase in uneasy tension, as if he was the focus of some planned trap.

Of course the atmosphere inside the brunette's bar, was quite different, and it was only when Reno entered, that his mind seemed to decide on a rather clear explanation as to why the outer areas had been so void of life; because all of the city's inhabitants seemed to be inside 'Seventh Heaven'.

His journey from the door to the bar top had been a rather strenuous affair, and although Tifa had spotted the red head almost immediately, she didn't seem to keen on helping him, but rather more keen on the idea of watching his struggle as some form of laughter inducing entertainment.

By the time the young Turk had pushed, pulled, bashed and bumped his way over to the bar the brunette was in a fit of unbreathable giggles.

Reno raised an eyebrow, before allowing an sigh of mock unimpressed exhaustion to escape past his lips, ''I think Yuffie's been a bad influence on you...''

The young bartender could see through his play acting instantly, but that didn't stop her from placing two rather firm hands upon her curvaceous hips and letting out a huff of teasing annoyance, ''Hmph...you're the one who laughed at me last week because for **ten solid minutes** because I accidentally flipped that pancake onto my face!''

The red head snorted rather comically as his body reacted to the remembrance of such an amusing image, though he quickly tired to hide it with a cough, before pulling his serious Tseng-style face back on, ''Yeah but that was funny, and anyway, I've always been like that! But you Tifa...'' he paused for effect, as he allowed himself to lean ever so lightly upon the bar top, while shaking his head in mock disappointment, ''...you've changed.''

The pair proceeded to stare at each other defiantly for quite a few seconds, before neither could stand it any longer, and they both fell into a wave of deep chuckles, though it wasn't long before they recovered enough for Tifa to raise an eyebrow of sarcastic amusement, airing her question through a rumbling throat which still threatened laughter, ''I'm guessing you'll be having the usual...'oh so never faltering Reno'?''

''What else?'' Both his eyebrows ascending slightly, as he too tired to hold back the rolls of breaking amusement which were attempting to air themselves.

He proceeded to watch her glide over to one of the shelves and unscrew the tightly fitted lid from a bottle filled with a darkened amber; of course he'd already had three of the same at home, but it would be to suspicious and almost impossible for him not to take a drink, plus Tifa's were always the best anyway, and he needed the reason of payment for his oh so simple, yet fault riddled plan,

She returned quickly, and Reno was swift in wrapping his own fingers around the tumbler, and taking a warming, confidence boosting sip, whilst somewhat enjoying the bracing prickle that danced down his throat and yet rush up and through his head like a low level electrical current.

His mind seemingly blanked as he lowered the small glass container, now only partly filled, back down to the smooth wooden surface, and soon found himself staring deeply into the one of the many beverage filled bottles, which balanced upon one of the brunette's shelves hanging behind the bar, though not thinking about it at all, but rather his purpose, his reason for being there, not that he needed one that is, but tonight was special, tonight he had something specific to do and he had to do it soon before he either lost his bottle or his state of consciousness.

He'd been so lost in his own thoughts, that Reno hadn't realised the young bartender had actually been talking to him, clearly unaware of his wandering mind, with her voice being nothing but another buzz of raised jubilation, that sounded from most of the customers filling the bar.

When he looked up to meet her image, he was met with a beaming smile and a rush of actions, as she talking whilst also serving another demanding customer, ''You know business has been really good lately! I'm rushed off my feet! I was thinking of getting some extra help in-''

''Tifa I-'' He was cut off immediately, his quiet interruption being drowned out so very easily.

''Oh, and there's the new Materia displays Yuffie wants to send round and hang up in here...I'm pretty sure they're just pictures of her with her collection, but you know Yuffie, she never listens to a word anyone else says-''

Reno spotted and opening, and even raised a few fingers as if to enforce his desire to speak, ''Listen I really need to-

The red head slumped back slightly, and gave a tired sort of growl as he was cut off yet again, proceeding to prolong the next attempt, instead choosing to give his forehead an ache releasing rub, before downing the rest of his order in one pleasing bitter sweet shot.

After laying his glass firmly back upon the bar top, the young Turk reached into his interior jacket pocket, proceeding to draw out the battering looking wallet, and tapping it thoughtfully against the palm of his hand.

Before he realised what he was doing, Reno had allowed his head to turn ever so slightly, out of some subconscious, unwanted impulse, towards the flowered corners of the bar, causing him to cringe and quickly adjust his focus, muttering angrily inside his head, clearly annoyed at his own stupidity at nearly completely giving himself away, not that he truly believed he hadn't done already, and that the blonde wasn't going to be suspicious enough at his mere presence there; after all; Rufus Shinra never missed a trick.

Tifa was still rambling on when the red head had finally prepared himself, and with a sharp, yet muted call, that was neither angry or annoyed, he tried his luck for the third time that evening, ''Tifa!''

The brunette stopped immediately, and looked at him with some degree of shocked embarrassment, her crimson-tinted eyes wide and confused with the realisation of what she'd been doing, and it wasn't long before she muttered, whilst flashing a shy smile ''Sorry...''

His eyebrow quirked at the corner in a way of forgiven acceptance, before he flipped open his wallet and searched within its contents, much to the obvious distress of the brunette, who's eyebrows reacted with a deep, almost disappointed arch, ''You're going already?''

''Yeah babe, got work in the morning...just thought I'd pop in...see how things were going...''

She gave a sigh of questioning defeat, somewhat unconvinced by his reasoning, as the idea of Reno actually wanting to be on time for work was a rather unheard, though he seemed intent on leaving, so she decided not to push the subject.

Reno lifted out his arm, with his hand soon coming into a comfortable reaching distance, and as the brunette went to release the folded, five gil note being held perfectly between his two closed fingers, her hand brushed against his own, and although the moment of contact was so insignificant compared to the tickle attacks and joyous hugs they had shared, it seemed to carry rather more weight, as though some lingering, unaired desire or comment was forcing an uncomfortable tension between them.

Tifa's brow furrowed slightly, as she studied his aquamarine gaze, which was oh so serious, silently pleading, seemingly hopeful, and yet also blank.

His expression soon became unfocused, his gaze swiftly leaving her own as he muttered quietly, yet also warmly, ''Keep the change...''

''Re are you-''

Before Tifa could finish airing her question, she was stopped by the young Turk, whom suddenly shone her one of his wide, trademark smirks, ''Now try not to laugh so much this time!''

As he tried to fight his way back out again, he found the journey to be as equally difficult, if not more so, as his original attempt, and although he received a smile of amusement from the brunette, her eyes flashed with a mix of confusion and concern, not knowing whether the uncertain fear that was creeping upon her skin was worthy of attention, and as she put his note within the bar till, her focus never shifted from the Turk, her eyes remaining in place, even as the door swung shut behind him.

* * *

Meanwhile, back at the President's house...

The blonde's brow furrowed ever so slightly, whilst his thoughtful smirk gracefully shifted into an a half scowl, as he continued to focus his gaze upon the computer's motioning screen, seemingly playing the images, and possibilities over and over within his sculptured mind.

With not preconception or warning of any kind, the young man quickly rose from his nicely warmed chair, before exiting the room equally swiftly, and strolling silently into his kitchen, proceeding to pour himself a rather stronger drink than his previous choice of water, his mind now somewhat needing the sharpness to bring him to a decision.

After consuming to short, but strongly awakening, volume of brandy, Rufus slipped the small mobile device from his trouser pocket, and flipped it open with a motion of soft perfection, before gliding precisely through his contact list, stopping not long after the action's start, and proceeding to dial the easily recognised, yet not overly familiar number.

The young blonde couldn't be entirely sure of what he had seen, but something about that played out encounter was off, and if the young Turk hadn't in fact already cracked, there was no denying he wasn't that far off. So that left the President with a few opinions, though the rather more violent ones seemed somewhat unnecessary, at least for now anyway, and the simple action of taking the red head out of the picture, until Rufus had finished with his employee's female friend, sounded much better, and made things a hell of a lot lighter in the paperwork department.

A blunt sort of click reverberated around his eardrum, as the called decided rather simply, to receive the message from the known caller, and soon Rufus was hearing the calm, unfaltering tone of his raven haired employee, ''Good evening Sir, what can I do for you?''

The President never hesitated with his answer, whilst allowing an unseen smirk play across his thin lips, ''Tseng, that new temporary placement we were talking about...I think I've found you the perfect candidate.''

* * *

A/N= *Phew* it's like 5 in the morning, and I'm officially beat...but I was determined to get this chapter out before I went to bed!

Anyway, a lot of Rufus in this...thought I hadn't really been paying a lot of attention to just him, and his life...he seems very...one sided if you will, like...he doesn't exist beyond Shin-Ra, so I thought I'd show something we never see, him alone, at home, in non working hours! Plus you can't always develop a character through conversation...so I thought some quiet time might work...especially with someone like Rufus...

Also a lot of Reno in this... but he was needed for plot development and future stuff...little scamp manages to sneak into everything! And again don't worry, there will be some TifaxRufus focused chapters soon! I know I haven't really been doing a lot of just her and him...but their time will come! Promise XD

And I know this chapter was mostly descriptive etc, and not much action, but the last chapter was nearly all talking and there just seemed so much to say in this...

Oh and talk about me mentioning alcohol a lot! I swear I had in so many times in this chapter...I wasn't trying to go into either's dependence on it, not that they have one at all, of any kind of alcoholic tendencies...it just came up a lot!


	12. Ch11: Discoveries and Investigations

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy does not belong to me...however much I may like it to. I own no characters, places etc. etc. so please don't sue me! I'm a nice person :)

Author's Note: Chapter Eleven...PLEASE review as I really enjoy reading your views and they inspire me to get better! It would make me very very happy! Anyway stop reading this and get on with reading the fic! Hope you enjoy! :)

**Chapter Eleven: Instinctive Discoveries and Successful Investigations**

The young woman's facial muscles gave a gentle twitch, as the brightened rays shining through the tiny crack between the ruby red fabric folds covering the window, finally began to take affect upon her senses, with her mind and body now processing nature's silent call.

She sighed lightly as her legs stretched out upon the cushioned surface, their toned shape forced to rise further, due to the obstruction from an unknown block of material, and soon they were lain atop, whilst her arms groped around for a non-existent duvet, which had previously unhindered her sleep, though now with the stir of conciousness, it became suddenly imperative.

Her eye lids flickered ever so slightly before opening to an unfocused gaze, her vision taking that little bit longer to adjust to her surrounding than a common blink, as her pupils had been covered for so long, they were now somewhat unprepared for the task required of them.

There was more than a hint of surprise in her crimson tinted gaze, when the young woman finally forced herself to take note of her surroundings; as instead of finding herself within the warm confines of her soft, slightly worn bed, she was seemingly sprawled out upon the dusty red sofa which was housed within her living room.

Her brow furrowed immediately, though as she raised herself from the now pressured sprung surface, the brunette came face to face with the damning evidence for her rather impromptu, and also elongated 'nap'; an opened book lay parted upon one of her legs, its spine in direct balance with her thigh, with the thin, crisp pages of as yet, unread fiction, splayed out with an almost delicate perfection, the smooth, fragility of their folds somewhat held against her skin within the slightest rustle.

It wasn't that the contents hadn't been particularly riveting, quite the contrary in fact, but, as usual, Tifa had seemingly made the decision to begin book's discovery rather late into the evening, and after working in the bar for most of the night and then giving it a good once over, she had rather physically and mentally exhausted herself, though in this light headed state she had misjudged her energy levels.

She gave a sigh of somewhat self-disappointment, though with the slightest edge of familiar understanding, before carefully lifting the weighty item by its hardened, smooth, printed coloured cover and bringing it to close with a gentle thud of controlled paper and ink, and proceeding to reach out and slide it onto the coffee table's glossy surface.

The next few minutes were spent aimlessly drifting her gaze about the room, in an almost dreamlike state of tedious disinterest, the thought of actually using any of her still resting muscles to launch herself from the ever so comfortable seat was a somewhat disillusioned desire, with her body seemingly very much willing to comply with her mind's non-existent demands.

Though this idle behaviour was brought to a rather unimpressed stop, as her slightly unfocused eyes narrowed, when their line of sight passed by the wall clock, which hung just above the stairway door, which itself was not fully closed, but rather 'a to', its wooden shape only motioning with the tiniest of swings, as the air both pushed and pulled in gentle succession.

As Tifa raised herself, she couldn't withhold the groan of tired non-compliance that quickly proceeded to rumble from her slightly parted lips, and although her brow was furrowed, the rest of her features seemed somewhat satisfied in the knowledge that although she did have to get up, she could at least take the process slightly slower than usual, as, for once, her schedule wasn't unreasonably busy.

She strolled across the corridor's pale, wooden board floor and after a short nip across the softly textured carpet of her bedroom, the young woman soon found herself within the comfortably sized confines of the en suite, where she quickly proceeded to slip of her pyjamas and step carefully into the bathtub, above which hung the shower head, whose mechanics were soon activated, allowing the small, pin prick holes upon the rounded plate, to produce a gush of pleasantly warm water, with a firm, yet not to powerful pressure.

Whilst underneath the pounding droplets, the young woman's thoughts began to wander, as the thinning steam and sensory aroma of shower products began to clear off the remaining dregs of heavy dream-orientated unawareness, bringing refreshing clarity to both her body and mind.

It had barely been one week since she had last seen, or in fact heard anything from the red headed Turk, and whilst elongated absences were common when concerning him, it was also rather uncommon for him to disappear without leaving a single message to at least explain or inform her of his plans.

Of course she understood that, with him being a Turk, sometimes it may not be possible for him to do so, especially if the mission was one of a rather sudden urgency, or indeed one of absolute secrecy, though still with this factor in mind, the young brunette couldn't halt the growing vines of suspicious unease which threaded though her insides like an invisible, yet painfully affecting weed.

The previous day she had in fact tried, as a somewhat last ditch attempt, to get a smidgen of news from Reno's fellow Turk's, though after a rather short phone call, all she had received as a lot of tense silence from the bald and a series of brush off's from the raven haired superior, although he did sound somewhat regretful about it, along with telling her to 'calm down' and 'just relax', which had of course, only infuriated her further.

With her mind still rippling with these new found ideas of distrust and uncertainly surrounding her friend, Tifa shut off the piece of bathing equipment with a single flick from her now, slightly wrinkled finger tips, before quickly proceeding to exit its reflectively slippery interior and steadying herself upon the towelled softness of the bathmat.

The room itself had become rather heated during her exploits, thus making the air almost thickened and closed in its density, with both moisture and warmth hanging within its mist-like wisps, which in turn seemed somewhat able to force the young brunette to leave the room much sooner than she had indeed intended, her form choosing the instantly more bearable atmosphere of her dry, cooling bedroom to complete the daily ritual which was both ordered and yet able to vary.

It didn't take her long to finish up, after all, she wasn't one to over think her appearance to such a level as some might believe, though it also wouldn't be correct to say she didn't care at all, but rather, as long as it fitted, was clean and somewhat flattering, she was happy.

After hanging up the dampened towel, and putting away the few small items she had used during her preparations, Tifa proceeded to make her way back across the lounge and into the kitchen, now with the order of breakfast being the next, most viable step.

Soon enough the kettle was boiled, and with its hot, almost painfully steaming contents poured within one of her favourite chocobo print mugs, along with a blackberry fruit tea-bag, the young woman placed it upon the table besides the already prepared bowl of frosties, and proceeded to seat herself, before rather rapidly consuming both of their contents.

After a short washing-up session, and a series of small burps caused by her hurried eating, she left the room, and strolled her way effortlessly down the stairway that separated the apartment, from her bar, which she soon entered.

As she made her way over the wooden floorboards, which creaked softly with every pressured step, her crimson-tinted gaze rolled over to the small, durable woollen weave mat neighbouring the bar's entrance, and the grey-white morning paper laying upon it.

Tifa gave a stiffened groan as she bent to pick the article ridden item up, though as her finger tips rubbed against the blackened ink, something seemed to click within her mind's mechanics, and a moment of sudden understanding possibility washed over her.

Her damp, brunette locks whipped around her neck as her head snapped over to the direction of the metallic till which nestled upon the bar top, and before either she could really register this new impulse, she had already hit in the code, and her hands were busy riffling through the various sections of orderly piled notes.

Tifa's eyes widened suddenly before proceeding to narrow as they focused upon the pure, whitened paper nestled in-between a folded five gil note, a payment which she recognised instantly as Reno's; he was the only one whom ever creased his notes in such a way.

As she opened it out to reveal the ink scrawls upon its surface, the young brunette's whole body seemed to react; her brow furrowing in distress, her skin tingling with unease, and her nerves on edge whilst they attempted to cope with the new dose of masked information.

She gave a sigh of frustration, as her insides continued to squirm, ''How could I have been so stupid...''

It was true, she really did feel as though she'd let the red head down for not seeing his message sooner, as he'd obviously expected her to, and as the young woman ran back up to her apartment, she cringed with with both embarrassment and shame.

A few moments later and Tifawassitting back at the kitchen table, with the city's phone book sprawled out in front of her, her fingers busy flicking through the thin pages, whilst her eyes scanned the many numbers and joint addresses and although there was no way to confirm it, her instinct told her that she was doing exactly what Reno had intended.

* * *

The clack from Tifa's small, softened heels, was hardly noticeable against the smooth cement-grey paving, along with the reverberating hum which echoed from the various surrounding streets, and yet her own chosen path seemed completely desolate.

Each house was lined up against each other, and every single numbered door seemed so shut off, and very much organized to an almost military perfection; it appeared to be a rather obvious, and yet ideal choice for a Shin-Ra worker to live.

Tifa had often heard that the company picked out their employee's residence, especially if they were of valued importance to the company, and whilst at first the post of 'secretary' might not sound so important, one whom worked directly for the President was, no doubt, held in some respect, if just for the identity of her boss.

As her crimson-tinted gaze passed along each frame, and each dullingly empty window, she seemed to drift off slightly, her mind wandering once more, causing her insides to clamp down for the second time that morning.

Now that she thought back to it, that night in the bar with Reno, when he had, now known to Tifa, handed her the concealed note, he had been acting so uncharacteristically strange, almost somewhat 'aloof'.

She couldn't be completely sure as to why, not as of yet anyway, but there was no denying the fact she was scared, and the brunette knew that technically...at that moment, there was no possible reason or need to feel as such, but then that almost posed the question as to whether she was scared for Reno or herself?

True he was a Turk, a Turk whom she had both battled and hated, though now things were different, it wasn't as if she'd taken the whole 'forgive and forget' thing literally, but there was definitely something honest about their new relationship. At first of course, she'd opposed the idea of even having him in the same room as her, but, as time went on, she couldn't deny the niggling voice in the back of her head, that told her, that maybe, even he, deserved a second chance.

And that was that, he'd always been funny, somewhat amusing company, and yet he could be adequately serious when needed; though the red head would usually made some crude comment or joke immediately following a straight conversation. With everything in mind, even Tifa couldn't deny that she'd become slightly attached to the young Turk, so now, with the sudden strangeness in his demeanour, and his even more suspicious disappearance, she had been left feeling both uneasy and unsettled.

Her face flicked back to reality as her searching vision came across a door which fitted the one which she sought with both anticipation and apprehension; black lacquered finished upon its once pale wooden surface, forcing it to shine, the pure darkened shade reflecting the white brilliance of the sun's rays.

For some reason as she lifted her hand, fist clenched, knuckles prepared to hit the hardened material with a gentle, yet confidently authoritative force, the young brunette's heart quickened in pace, as if her mind was finally catching up the following, probably revealing conversation she was about to force between her and the known, yet not exactly closely familiar female.

Her skin impacted with its chosen subject, before it quickly retreated back into the confines of her coat pocket, who's silken lining was somewhat pleasantly cold, and yet also shockingly jarring in its drastically different texture.

The soft sound of gentle padding could be heard from inside, before a rather hesitant turning motion of the metallic lock, proceeding which the door slowly drifted open, to reveal the young, mousey haired secretary, whom seemed rather coloured, and able, for someone whom was supposedly meant to be off with some devastating illness.

She didn't raise her gaze at first, but instead seemed intent keeping her eyes locked to the floor, as her head shock lightly in nervous refusal, ''Sorry, I'm not interested in- ''

The young brunette cut her off immediately with a friendly, yet forceful tone, ''Jane.''

Her eyes flickered behind her gold-rimmed glasses, and were soon attempting to hide the clearly visible glints of desperate concealment, within her falsely clueless smile, ''Tifa...what...what are you-''

The young home owner stopped this time of her own accord as the caller stepped forwards, her gaze latched upon her with painstaking determination, ''I need to talk to you...''

* * *

Tifa hand trailed across the velvety smooth material which covered the young secretary's sofa, as she sat patiently, her legs tensed together, though not so much out of nerves, but agitation, though this had nothing to do with the room that she had been directed to.

It was plain, no doubt about it, but it also seemed rather homely and comfortable, the simple design structure displaying that the young woman neither had nor wanted the clutter that so many other people seemed to fill their homes with, though that wasn't to say it was completely void of such items, for there were a few photos placed orderly upon the mantelpiece, clearly dusted and polished often, as them glass protectors showed with their brilliant shine and beside them, to the far right, stood a tall, blue-tinted vase, which held a triplet of pink dabbed carnations, with their emerald-veined stalks held within a shallow pool of crystal clear water.

The first thing Jane had done after inviting the young brunette in, and placing her within the living room, was to offer a beverage, which was proceeded with her listing them out with a large, and rather unnecessary quantity, but fortunately Tifa had managed to stop her seemingly half way through with the choice of tea.

Tifa sighed and glanced at her watch, realising just how long her host had been gone for, and either instead of using a kettle, Jane had decided to boil the water in a cup by holding a single lit match underneath, or it was some sort of futile attempt at avoidance.

The young woman's brow furrowed lightly, as she raised herself from the sprung seat, and made her way out of the living room, through the hall and into the kitchen, where she found a rather still Jane, whom was stirring a teabag within the created whirlpool of heated water absent-mindedly, seemingly lost within her own thoughts, as if trying to come up with some strategy for handling her new house guest.

One of Tifa's eyebrows twitched, rather more in amusement than annoyance, and when she revealed her presence there, her voice had a somewhat gentle teasing about its tone, ''You know I'm actually quite partial to stewed tea...''

The mousey haired woman jumped slightly, before swivelling her head around to face the known intruder, though her look of fearful apprehension soon disappeared and was replaced with a soft smile, ''Sorry, I was just...thinking.''

''Hm.'' The brunette nodded, taking the mug from her, enjoying the warming sensation the heated china brought to her palms, before focusing her gaze once more upon the secretary, ''I'd heard you were ill...''

Much to her surprise, the young woman was somewhat amused by the remark, as she chuckled lightly, ''Is that what President Shinra has been telling everybody?'' her smile halted rather abruptly, the eyes behind her lenses fogging slightly, as a weak disappointment came over her, ''Fantastic...when I go back-if I go back...everyone is gunna think I've caught some terrible disease...'' her voice lowered, as she mumbled to herself, ''I never take time off...''

Tifa had been both watching and listening with interest, ''Then I take it this 'recovery vacation' wasn't exactly your choice?''

''Hm...no...it was all rather..._unexpected_.'' She strained her final word with a hint of sarcasm, whilst the brunette crossed her arms in preparation for her task.

''Well, anyway...however bad this may sound...I didn't come to see you out of concern for your health.''

A knowing smile tugged at Jane's lips, ''Oh, I know.'' she waited until the brunette had finished with her raised brow reaction, before edging closer, ''So...what can I do for you?''

''It's Reno-'' The mousey haired secretary gave a deep grunt of vexation, though Tifa decided to continue nevertheless, ''...he's been acting strangely...and now...he's missing.''

Jane's brow furrowed in thought, before latching her gaze once again with the brunette, ''Do the other Turk's know?''

''Well yes, I called them but...they just brushed me off! But...you don't understand, he wouldn't leave without telling me, or at least leaving me a message...or something! And then there's this-'' Her hand fumbled around within one of her coat's pockets, before quickly producing the whitened, scribble-ridden piece of paper, ''-he handed this to me, well...sort of...he hid it in a five gil note that he paid me with, it was about a week ago now...but I only found it this morning.'' He tone drifted somewhat, as, once again that day, an overwhelming wave of shame and stupidity silently crashed over her.

The mousey haired woman observed her for a moment, before gentle prying the item out from within the tangled grasp of her fingers, and as she read the short garble of words imprinted upon its surface, her features contorted in concern.

Tifa gave a quiet sniff, though tears had not yet been allowed to fall, ''What is it?''

''It's just...the reason for my absence...from Shin-Ra...'' Jane's voice faltered, as the brunette's crimson-tinted gaze widened.

''You think it might be connected?''

She nodded hesitantly, as her mind processed the long conceived, though newly aired knowledge, ''President Shinra...I don't know how he knew...or why it was so important but...our conversation in the bar...he _knew_ about it...he came to my home...he was here when I arrived back...and he knew...'' Jane paused only for a moment, before beginning again, though this time her tone was noticeably more suspicious, ''But it's not just that, he actually knew what we'd said, literally word for word...'' She stopped as she raised the mug's steaming rim to her lips, and before taking a sip, she muttered in angered amusement, ''...he didn't seem to _appreciate_ my...openness...''

Tifa's mind flashed back, as clearly damning images whirling past; Reno's desperate gaze searching her bar, his forceful airing at the thought of her having the apartment done up as well, the concealment of his note, the words upon it, everything strange action over the past weeks...it all seemed so clear now, her lips allowing a knowing smile to play across them; It hadn't been an option for Reno to tell her directly, but he knew she'd be smart enough to figure it out, all she needed was that smidgen of information and guidance.

Jane's gaze was focused directly upon the brunette, her eyes flickering with silent agreement, as Tifa's wanted denial slowly disappeared, as the reality stepped in.

_Cameras..._ She smiled sadly, both amused and unimpressed at her revealing stupidity, ''He's been watching me...''

Jane nodded, before allowing her face to light up suddenly, with a nervous fear, ''But...but if Reno gave you this note...even if he hid it...I can almost guarantee you that the President _will_ know by now... ''

The brunette's own face paled, ''You think he might have done something?''

''I think it's highly possible...''

''Well then...'' Tifa's coat wrapped around her waist as she pulled the tie back up, her mug already lowered back to the kitchen surface, ''I think it's time we did some investigating...''

The mousey haired secretary blinked a few times, with widened, clueless apprehension,''We?''

* * *

Just over an hour later, the two women arrived at Reno's flat door, Tifa confidently stood beside its frame, whilst Jane trailed behind, somewhat nervous, and obviously uncomfortable at her new, rather strange surroundings, not to mention the fact she'd been practically dragged out from the house, which technically, under the President's orders, she wasn't suppose to leave, let alone leave to assist with the brunette bartender's escapades.

After knocking for several minutes, the young brunette got out her own set of keys, within which was held a replica cut of Reno's, an item she'd had made after he'd required her to keep watch on his flat whilst he went away on a rather lengthy mission, after all, it wasn't set within the safest of locations, and it was rather easy to check on, with the red head being so low maintenance.

They entered shortly after, and as she surveyed the area, Tifa couldn't help but notice the open curtains, and half empty bottle of whisky upon the coffee table, besides which sat a used tumbler, left untouched since its emptying; everything seemingly frozen in place, though it was the Television set that stood, blaring out with an unbearable hum, which drew her attention the most, an instinctive curiosity which only increased in intensity when her hand was allowing to feel the the blackened top, which was uncomfortably hot to the touch, and as she backed away, she cradled her fingers which, though left unmarked, burned, whilst Jane viewed the performance with a solitary raised eyebrow.

It was then that a rather insistent knock sounded from the young Turk's door, prompting the mousey haired secretary to leave Tifa to her musings, while she moved over to answer it. After lifting the latch away and freeing the space from the parting barrier, she was met with the sight of a what she assumed to be one of Reno's neighbours, their short black hair spiking off in all directions, whilst their clothes, with their age being predicted to be around the thirties, seemed to have been produced and designed for a ten year old, exaggerated by the lashings of displayed flag which hung unpleasantly about their midriff, along with the distinct presence of what looked like a beard, a darkened facial piece which made it rather hard for the poor secretary to tell whether it was a female or male.

The arrival was glaring at Jane with a heated anger, ''I thought I saw someone come in!''

''Erm hello...can I-''

''Listen Miss! Your red headed boyfriend has had that damn TV on non stop for almost a week now and I can't take it any more! It's driving me insane! I don't care if he's a Turk, he'll be a dead Turk if he carries on!''

Tifa came forward, the rant having been heard rather easily from within the living room, and the moment she laid eyes on the caller, her facial concern drifted, being replaced with a familiar ease, ''Oh hey Sarah...''

Jane sighed, inwardly relieved at having the 'woman or man?' debate ended within her mind, and outwardly pleased at now having some sort of back up.

The now known woman's face lightened at the familiar form, ''Tifa! Sorry, didn't see you there!''

The young brunette shook her head dismissively, ''That's ok, but did you say that its, I mean to say, the Television's...been on for a week now?''

''Yeah, about that...why?''

_Because it was a week ago that- _''No reason...'' Tifa's eyes darted over to Jane before returning to the neighbour, ''Listen, I'm sorry about the disturbance, and I'll get it off right away!''

''Cheers.'' The woman walked off as the door came to a close, with the young brunette staring at the secretary, both looking at each other with worry, seemingly sharing the added feeling of unnerve at the new, rather silent revelation.

''Jane...I need you to do something for me.''

The mousey haired woman's gaze never faltered, and her tone was equally accepting, ''Yes?''

Tifa took a deep, yet quite breath, ''I need you to stay here for a while.''

''What?'' Jane's brow furrowed, obviously rather unconvinced by the idea

''Could you? I've just got something I need to do...and I think you'll be safer here...plus...if Reno comes back...'' The brunette's feature's dropped with a brief sadness, waving only for a moment, before once again softening, whilst Jane breathed out in a tried sense of defeat, ''Just stay here...please?''

The added plea, and the desperation painfully present within the young brunette seemed to break down all of Jane's defensive reasoning, and soon her head was drawn into a slow nod, ''Ok...but... I'm still not sure I understand what's going on? Why is President Shinra doing this?''

Tifa smirked lightly, her hand curling around the latch, as she pulled the door open once again, ''...I guess I'll have to ask him that.''

* * *

A/N= Sorry this took me so long to get out! I've been tied up with lots of things lately, and my best mate just came back from Uni, so I ended up spending most of my weekend with her!

Anyway, onto the chapter...

I thought I'd make this rather Tifa central, seeing as the last two have been rather focused on Reno's pov, or Rufus's...and I also know that I haven't actually written a chapter of late with Tifa and Rufus even sharing a conversation, but not to worry, the next chapter will almost definity have the pair coming face to face...mostly because I've already written a great deal of their confrontation, but anyway...

I also know I've told you I'd have some purely RufusxTifa chapters coming up, and although the pair will be in the next one, that chapter isn't one of the ones I'm talking about...that'll be a little bit (notice the word little there) later...

But yeah...I do believe that just because this fic is a RufusxTifa, it doesn't mean each and every chapter should focus upon them completely...romance, nor interesting plot can develop with just scene upon scene of those two talking...or doing anything else for that matter... but when the time comes, I'll make sure (well to the best of my abilities) that it's veeeerrrryyy satisfying...

Oh, and you're not suppose to know what Reno's note said...XD


	13. Ch12: Fear, Respect and Calming Moments

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy does not belong to me...however much I may like it to. I own no characters, places etc. etc. so please don't sue me! I'm a nice person :)

Author's Note: Chapter Twelve...PLEASE review as I really enjoy reading your views and they inspire me to get better! It would make me very very happy! Anyway stop reading this and get on with reading the fic! Hope you enjoy! :)

**Chapter Twelve: Fear, Respect and Calming Moments**

A light echo reverberated around the office's four, perfectly symmetrical walls, as the panelled door fell back into its frame, leaving a metallic click to join the soft emittance as the concealed latch locked into place.

As the young man began to make his way across the room, his feet barely touched the carpeted surface, as though the beautiful black leather surrounding his feet, were immune to weight, and instead only brushed against the floor's fibrous covering, with an almost delicately unappreciated grace.

Whilst his silver blonde shaded hair almost melt away against the lightened paint brushed walls, his clothed form seemed to be jarringly out of place, and yet also brought a certain boldness, like a bright red detail upon an otherwise spray black car, or a single white lily floating upon a darkened green bed of pond algae.

That day, he had chosen, for no particular reason, to dress ever so slightly out of his normal style range, which usually consisted of pristine whites, jet blacks, and royal blues, though that morning, he had instead, found himself pulling on a rather purple hue pinstripe suit, which was both dark in shade, and yet obvious in its colouring, whose audacity only increased with the golden stitching which ran along the various seams.

Although the colouring would have looked shockingly bizarre on any other Shin-Ra employee, it seemed to work perfectly upon the young President, whom, unlike many other's, was happily at ease with his appearance.

True, it would be quite correct to say that he would never go to work looking less than his best, and always bought his clothing from the finest tailors residing in Edge, but it was also rather clear, that although he strived to present himself well, he never seemed bothered, or even moved by the odd comment or facial reaction from either his employee's or the city's inhabitants.

This fact, in turn almost made his image invincible, within its steadfast confidence and conviction; after all, if someone is shown to believe completely in their image, their work, and themselves, the other people surrounding them, tend to become drawn into it themselves.

Unlike the entrance, his own foot steps made no noticeable sound, which, along with his quietly controlled breathing and the gentle rustle of suited fabric, made the once empty atmosphere blend together with something ever so slightly more warming and serene.

The window had long been pulled free from its covering, thus allowing its reflective double paned structure to be pierced by pure, whitened rays, which freckled down, across the room's coutures, causing everything in its line to be warmed gently, especially the equipment which sat upon the wooden desk, placed merely a metre or so from the window, as its metal-plastic frame effortlessly conducted a massing degree.

His office had remained unused as of yet that day, although the time was considerably past the midday mark and the list of company details to be completed was as regenerative as ever. The President's absence was quite usual, and rather unsurprising, after all, he was effectively the company's controlled, thus he was expected to attend and take part in many an important meeting, though most of the time he found them to be dull in both content and delivery.

That morning, he'd had sat through a long-timed scheduled meeting withthe head of the new PR department, and a rather impromptu meeting to discuss and deliberate the rather sudden, yet growing concern surrounding one of his latest decisions made to, and carried out with the raven-haired Turk leader Tseng.

When Rufus had sat himself down upon the soft, cushioned surface of the desk's tailor-made chair, and awakened his computer from its blackened hibernation, his light shaded brow furrowed, as his icy blue gaze drifted across the now familiar screen display.

His mouse hovered uncertainly for a few moments, before his hand released it without instruction, as something inside him fought against the tug to open the folder which he had most desired to.

Something was wrong. He knew it. It was the only explanation, the only reasonable excuse for this collision of both new and unwanted emotions, which caused his mind to falter with confusion, whilst he tried, desperately, to control and quell the welling, unseen mass.

The young man lowered his lids for a few moments, as his focus attempted to return, though before he could manage to clear his storming thoughts, he was met with the sensory vibration of a few weighted thumps, which emitted from an approaching form just beyond his office door.

The wooden panel swung open with a degree of violent force, to reveal the last, and yet also the only person Rufus would allow to enter in such a way.

Her brunette hair dazzled as the sun-lightened rays played upon it, displaying all the deep, warming tones within its beautifully smooth strands.

She didn't seem to notice the surprisingly pleased smile gracing the blonde's features, and when he continued to observe her form within the few seconds left of silence between them, he was quick to find himself mesmerized; the hair, those eyes, that form, that face, everything was a joy to view, and yet, all he could manage to do in return, was to look upon her, with nothing but cold emotion.

The young woman took a firm, bravely confident step forwards, and placed her hands upon her curvaceous shape, before latching gaze with the President's own, ''I want some answers...''

* * *

The young blonde remained upon his cushioned seat, whilst allowing his brow to raise ever so slightly and his form to relax gently into its back, giving off an air of unimpressed amusement.

This undeclared fact only increased when his icy blue gaze narrowed towards his chosen direction of the brunette, with her own crimson-tinted gaze set into a burning glare.

Her face contorted lightly, as a fresh array of burning sparks freckled across its contours, ''Well...?''

The smallest hint of a smirk played upon the President's thin, pale lips, though when he spoke, his tone remained as steady and as calm as his demeanour, ''Well what? You said you wanted answers...that usually implies there has or will be a question asked first. You have stated no such thing, so I'm unfortunately unable to fulfil this little demand of yours.'' He almost lost control of his amusement as he observed her reaction of tightly clenched fists, and soon found his brow raising again in an attempt to withhold the break in restraint, as he added his unnecessary, but thoroughly self-enjoyed inquiry, ''I am right in thinking that even someone as unrefined as you has some familiarity with the procedures of conversation?''

''How **dare **you!'' Tifa'sarms unlocked from their previously closed position across her waist, and she took a few daring steps towards the desk, as her body trembled with a blend of anger, frustration, confusion and an almost unnoticeable degree of emotional hurt.

The young man eyed her with amusement for a few seconds, the silent torment he was enforcing upon her bringing both pleasure, and a strange form of curious interest.

She soon tired of his non-responsive attitude, and pushed forward her own continuation, rather unaware that her fuelled outbursts were only providing more dazzling entertainment for there recipient, ''You have no right to invade my privacy like that, I mean putting up those...-'' her youthfully soft face tautened slightly at the enforced knowledge, ''..._things _in my bar! **My **bar!''

His careful control seemed to falter without seeablereason, causing the brunette's own to waver withlight shock, though the moment only last for a few seconds and soon his familiar arrogance had returned, along with a delicately placed smirk, ''Come, come Miss. Lockhart, I'm actually quite surprised it's taken you so long...I've been expecting you to barge through my doors for quite some time now...'' A light, solitary eyebrow cocked before he allowed another unnecessary addition to slip out into the tensed air, like a wisp of unseen smoke, ''You've become quite slack since your time in AVALANCHE.''

The once strongly blazing flame within the brunette seemed to flicker dangerously, as her facial contours fell in an almost disappointed shame, and when she had gathered together her senses, the young woman's tone only mirrored her dimming embers, ''I thought you were trying to be...''

As her crimson-tinted gaze lowered, Rufus allowed his smirk to evaporate, in place of a half raised eyebrow, ''Trying to be...?''

''Nice.''

''You should know better that to associate such words with me.'' He smiled, although his arrogance didn't seem present within his tone.

A brief silence settled between them, before the young brunette directed her line of sight once again to the President's seated form, ''Why?'' She paused for a moment as she choked down her own angry confusion like a swallowed wave painfully rippling down her slender throat, ''Why did you do it?''

Rufus shifted his own icy stare, and chose silently to ignore, and dismiss the uncomfortable inquiry, because, he was, unknown to his unscheduled guest, he himself, truly unsure of the answer.

As the seconds of quiet tension ticked by, the young woman attempted to push the subject again, her voice airing with a definitively stronger tone, ''Tell me.''

''No.''

''But-''

She was cut off with a firmly placed hand, which the blondehovered between them as a silent demand to cease, as his authoritative demeanour returned with a seemingly unrelenting force, ''I don't have to tell you anything Miss. Lockhart, and in fact, you're luckily I haven't had you thrown out yet.'' He eyed her swiftly before picking picking up an unimportant piece of paperwork, in an attempt to redirect his attention, ''Now, if all that steam is out of your system-''

The brunette interrupted him with a signal word, which although small, was almost jarring in its impact of emotional importance to the speaker, ''Reno...''

Rufus refused to stop with his 'work related' actions, as he tried to made his tone as unmoved as possible, ''What about him?''

''Where is he?'' She took another step towards his desk, and laid to boldly placed hands upon its surface, thus bringing herself mere inches from the blonde, ''What have you done with him?''

''The young man is not currently stationed within the city.''

Her brow furrowed with light confusion, ''What do you-''

He lifted his icy blue gaze up to the young woman positioned before him, and spoke with complete and utter convicted seriousness, unable to apply any amusement as his own anger set in, ''It became apparent that he had somewhat...lost sight of what it means to be a Turk.'' he allowed his attention to wander across her form before adding, ''His attentions were straying elsewhere.''

Tifa seemed taken aback, as she filled with both guilt and concern,''Is it dangerous?''

''That...'' The blonde pushed his chair back a few inches, as he prepared himself to rise, ''...is none of your concern.''

The brunette's angry flared once again, as the flame within her was fuelled by his refusal, ''He's my friend!''

''Oh really?'' Rufus lifted himself up swiftly, as his own emotions grew stronger than the walls controlling them, ''You seem more than a tad upset for it to just be about a mere...friend.'' His face was contorted lightly, though his voice had been filled with something stronger than annoyance, and the newly discovered feeling unnerved him as it worked its way through his psyche.

Tifa seemed not to notice and carried on withan added pinch of defiance, ''Just because you're incapable of finding anyone who actually likes you-'' His hand did not rise this time to silence her, but the frightening unreadable emotion flashing behind his cold gaze was more than enough to snatch away any vocal strength that remained.

He slowly walked around the wooden piece of office furniture, and drew his form closer to her own, forcing the tension between them to grow to an almost unbearable height, ''I think you'll find this conversation is over.''

The young woman backed off instinctively, though forced her gaze to remain upon the blonde's own, and as she studied him, she even allowed a small smirk to grace her lips, light pink frame, ''Fear and intimidation must be close personal friends.''

Rufus joined her, creating a mirrored facial effect, before slowly returning to his desk, though not to his seat.

As she watched him, her eyes drifted over the computer perched upon the wooden surface, and a barrage of images flooded her mind, causing something to snap within her, as her attention was redirected to the subject of her visit.

Tifa was quick in her approach, though before her finger tips could even brush against the plastic metallic mix, her arm was grabbed, and her body pulled away, resulting in her own form being held inches from her capturer's.

He tightened his grip as she attempted to free herself, though her restraint was never made to be painful, as his real anger was played out in his pre-conversation snarl, ''You need to be taught some respect.''

Tifalaughed with unimpressed protest, ''Do what you want! Hurt me, bully me, turn my world to ash...but nothing...**nothing**...will ever make me respect you.''

''Oh we'll see about that...'' The blonde's grip loosened immediately, as he leaned himself over to lift the phone's receiver which sat upon his desk.

The brunette's confidence flickered as she observed him with apprehensive interest, ''What are you doing...?'' A small grimace of obviously mocked fright played out upon her features, ''Calling someone to go smash my bar...''

The President's amusement seemed to return with her attempt, ''Now why would I want to do that? After all I spent so much of my own money making it beautiful.''

Her brow furrowed, ''Then what?''

''You said I could do what I like to you and you wouldn't respect me...but I wonder, if I took out your punishment upon Reno...would you feel the same?''

Her eyes widened with a painful suddenness, and soon she was drawing her form closer, shaking her head, whilst an almost inaudible whisper escaped, ''You wouldn't...''

''Oh, but you know that I would.'' He matched her gaze with a steady conviction, which mirrored his tone.

A swift smirk flashed across his lips, as he proceeded to dial, though the action was cut short by a forceful tug upon his jacket, which caused him to spin slightly, though his composure soon returned and within moments he'd realised himself from her grip and cornered her upon the desk's edge.

Both forms were leanttogether, and though both were aware of the lack of space between them, neither seemed able to move against.

''Don't...'' Her crimson-tinted gaze glinted as she pleaded softly.

His own tone took after the brunette's, though his was lined with something stronger, ''Persuade me.''

The word seemed to flow with ease, though Tifa had been made to use a great deal of will to release it, ''Please...''

''Please?'' The blonde's eyebrow raised expectantly.

Her facial contours flinched tightly before she allowed herself to succumb, ''Please...Sir.''

His hand's, which lay either side of her form upon the desk, released their pressured stance, as he brushed closer spoke with a teasing gentleness, ''Better, Miss Lockhart.''

As Rufus stepped back and turned, his face displayed a smirk of satisfaction, though as he reached the office furniture's closest edge, his ears picked up on the softest, most trembling sound.

His blonde locks whipped through the air like blades, as he swiftly returned his icy gaze to the brunette still leaning against his desk, now slumped, as her arms encircled and cradled her distraught, emotionally weakened form, ''Are you crying?''

She didn't answer him, as though to admit the action she was quite clearly carrying out would somehow make it far to real, and the shame she would feel at the admittance would consequently be to much to bear.

Rufus remained rooted to the spot, somewhat paralysed but the unexpected outburst, which was softly being emitted from the young woman, and as he spoke, his tone was filled more with quiet distress than anger or vexation, ''Stop it.''

The brunette's form gave a tiny jerk as she fought to choke back the lump within her throat, ''I can't help-''

Within a single blurred moment, Tifa found her body being straightened forcibly, though not uncomfortably, by two strongly controlled hands encircling her shoulders and when she managed to focus through the reflective wet film across her crimson-tinted eyes, she was compelled to stare deeply into the neighbouring gaze.

The feeling only intensified as the young blonde's thin lips parted, and he spoke, with a degree of soft, almost uncertain emotion, through his ever still remaining expression, ''I said...stop crying.'' he paused so much shortly, it was almost unnoticeable, before adding, ''Tifa.''

Her eyes gave a twitch of recognition, as the use of her name sent shock waves of fear down her spine, though not the distressing sort, but rather the nervous kind, as the use of such a term by him, was suddenly being made to feel strangely intimate.

The two lingered within their held position for a while, seemingly mesmerized, as their opposing breathes collided with one another'ssensitive skin, with a tingling delicacy.

They only moved when the President leaned against her slightly, and reached across to the desk surface, where he gracefully pulled a tissue from its cardboard box and proceeded to hand it to the young woman, whose face glistened with light, moist trails, before backing off.

As she watch him reposition himself by one of the desks joining sides, Tifa raised the thin piece of paper-like material to her face and dabbed gently, though the display of tears was not nearly as effecting, as the confusion which had suddenly replaced her pitiful distress.

She almost wanted to thank him for the brush of kindness, but before the words were even allowed to process within her mind, the pool of outrage welled up once again, and soon she had swiftly snapped back to her entrance demount, as she spoke through gritted teeth, ''I want those cameras down.''

The blonde noticed the revert but seemed unbotheredby it, as he calmly responded, with the refined arrogance which had become his familiar trademark, ''I have a right to keep them in place. I'm protecting my investment after all.''

Tifa gave an unimpressed huff, ''It isn't an investment, you don't own any of it.''

''Still, try and take me on, in any court of law and you will fail.'' He didn't smile as her face dimmed with the realisation of truth behind his statement.

There was a short pause, before she tried again, this time with a different tactical approach, but still her voice remained steady, and controlled, ''I don't want to be watched.''

''You've been watched for over a month now, and you haven't even remotely cared.''

Her mouth almost fell open in disbelief at the blatant attempt at moral reasoning, ''But I didn't know, I-'' She stopped abruptly as her eyes experienced a lightening fast flash of anger, ''I'll take them down myself.''

Rufus, again, seemed somewhat unmoved by the threat to his equipment, ''We'll see.''

The brunette spun upon the carpeted foot, with a defiant dig of her heels, and made to leave the room, though when she was but a metre from the door, she stopped and shifted her upper torso so she was able to direct her attention back to the President.

''If anything happens to him...''She didn't need to say his name, as the emotional tug from her tone clearly displayed their identity.

The young blonde raised his brow a fraction, ''You'll what?''

Her crimson-tinted eyes glassed over for a moment, before, she herself raised a solitary eyebrow, and spoke through trembling lips; the sight both beautiful and terrifying in its conviction , ''I'll kill you.''

The President's gaze remained steady, and his expression never changed, even when she spoke her threatening words, neither a painful grimace or frightening twitch appeared, and when he decided to respond, his tone completely and utterly controlled, without a hint of emotion, ''Leave now.''

Tifastared with confusion at his form for a few moments, before turned back, once again to the door, and as five of her slender fingers wrapped themselves around its handle, she smirked, though not hatefully, but rather triumphantly.

''By the way, I think you should look up the term 'respect'.'' Her body didn't move to face its comment's recipient this time, though her confident smile could be heard well enough through her tone.

Rufus raised his gaze slightly, although his voice was filled with disinterest, ''Oh yes?''

''You seem to think respect and fear is the same thing.'' She pushed the door open now, so her exit was cleared, through she took her time in delivering her closing line, ''I am right in thinking that someone as refined as yourself, would have some familiarity withthe concept of a thesaurus?'' and with that she allowed herself to pass over the frame and the wooden panel to fall back behind her, leaving the young blonde feeling intrigued, amused, and also uncomfortable, as he experienced his first few waves of conscious guilt.

* * *

The remaining day-light hours had proceeded to drift by like mere moments, with the sun having long since set, leaving the young man's office now, no longer bathed in like warming light, but rather left in a pale, almost painfully dim glow, as the clouded moon bathed its whitened shine.

Having completed the last pieces of most self-needed paperwork, Rufus let out a silent groan, and leant back against the cushioned backed seat, which creaked, and rustled softly in response.

His day had been interesting to say the least, and after enduring both the predictable and unexpected events, the blonde found himself to be rather tired, with his body aching for rest, whilst his mind cried out for silence.

Though, with this being said, his mental workings seemed to refuse the quiet request, as they instead chose to power through some rather painfully exhausting overtime.

Rufus let out a rumbling growl of agitation as he slumped back forwards, so his elbows hit the desk top surface with a dulled thump, before lowering one of his arms, so as to get within touching distance of the metallic piece of plastic covered equipment, proceeding to swiftly direct its internal orders, finally allowing it to rest for a few hours, and cool down its overrun workings.

When the screen had blackened and the internal drive had ceased to vibrate with mechanical action, the young blonde rose from his chair and made his way back across the room and towards the door, whilst subconsciously finding himself bringing a splayed hand up and over his brow, in some vain attempt at forcing his still thought-clogged mind to behave.

As he opened up the partition, Rufus was met with a somewhat familiar, soft, lingering smell, which must have been left hanging across the threshold, and as he continued through the invisible haze of the light, strangely calming, and somewhat delightfully sensory perfume, Rufus failed to notice his mind had finally joined with him in his desire for peace.

* * *

A/N= Sorry for the wait! I've been super busy this week, because finally, after...nearly nineteen years I'll be getting my own room...

Me and my sister have always shared a room...forever, but three years ago she left for Uni...and left all her junk behind; bed, cupboards, books, toys...meaning that although I had my own room,it was still as though I was sharing...

But now, after deciding to take her MA and then move up to Birmingham (where she's studying) afterwards, she's (after much protesting from me) moved all her stuff down to the spare room we have downstairs (which used to be the computer room till we moved them somewhere else about six months ago), I'm finally getting it to myself!

We've re-painted, re-carpeted, got new curtains, new duvet covers, new bed...well futon, new furniture which I never could fit in before (wardrobe, desk, desk chair, nice big shelving unit, light, nice flat screen TV, beanbag, rug, mirror) along with my old stuff, not to mention four beautifully amazing Final Fantasy VII wall scrolls...I literally start salivating just thinking about them...

But yeah...basically I've been/am still in the process of finishing it... thus it has been rather distracting...not to mention hard work...

Anyway, onto the actual chapter!...

Dear me.. Rufus is a little mean in this chapter...but don't worry! I promised he would change to some extent, and that time is coming soon...just not quite yet XD

I mean there was looooads of stuff that I wanted to put in here about Rufus, but it wouldn't all fit! Plus it seemed to work much better for the future chapters, rather than me trying to cram it all into one section.

I mean I can't just have him suddenly change within the space of just one chapter...that would be weird not to mention totally unbelievable!

But I am trying to soften him slightly, and start the slight transition in this chapter...hopefully that came across...

Now, on to the subject of my next update!...

On Friday my parents are going away on holiday again for a week, thus leaving me again with a free house, but unlike last month, my mate is/will be back from University! So basically she'll be coming over for nearly the entire week to keep me company, and enjoy my new room!

Now this will basically mean I'll have no time and actually no opportunity to write anything during those few days, which means it'll be a little longer till you get an update, but not too long!

But I will still be checking my email/profile, so I will read reviews... (hint hint)

And the next chapter should be out sometime early in the week beginning 6th-12th July, :)

Oh and for anyone who reads my RenoxTifa chaptered fic, I'll also be putting this note at the bottom of that one too...


	14. Ch13: Golden Men and Musing Afternoons

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy does not belong to me...however much I may like it to. I own no characters, places etc. etc. so please don't sue me! I'm a nice person :)

Author's Note: Chapter Thirteen...PLEASE review as I really enjoy reading your views and they inspire me to get better! It would make me very very happy! Anyway stop reading this and get on with reading the fic! Hope you enjoy! :)

**Chapter Thirteen: Golden Men and Musing Afternoons**

The soft, finely woven fabric which hung up against the window, rippled ever so gently as a light, almost unnoticeable afternoon breeze flowed by the small opening of the latched window pane. The peaceful atmosphere that had been slowly building since the day's arrival, was one of calm delicacy, as though each and every citizen of Edge had taken an unspoken vow to remain within the most quiet of boundaries. There was no doubting that it was in fact, a Sunday.

A few of Rufus's silver-gold strands began to fall forward, half shielding his icy blue gaze, which had been fixed upon some nameless spot across his living room floor. He did not move immediately to brush the away, instead choosing to allow them to linger out of place for a few moments, before swiftly flicking them back, freeing his concentrated gaze once more, though not so much out of necessity or want, but rather out of some sort of self-dignity.

He was not one to enjoy such a day, although technically there was no fault to be found with it. It was calm, quiet, some might have even gone so far as to say idyllic, but to him, it was all too close to being boring.

It would be true to say he wasn't exactly one to go off mountain biking, or indulge himself in long, over-expensive shopping trips on the few days he allowed himself to be free from the entanglements of work, but there was no hiding, from himself at least, that spending these long passages of time somewhat held within the confines of his own echo-ridden house, was slowly becoming less like pleasurable relaxation, and more like a strange new form of mental torture.

The company of course was still active, after all, Shin-Ra was not the kind of facility that was able to close down for an hour, let alone a day, and it did not a President to view each and every aspect, it was bigger than that, it would never stop.

A pale, china white plate lay upon the chestnut polished table, a few creamy trails of liquid still visible across its centre, bearing flicks of darkened green herbs, though any other food partial seemed either consumed or too minuscule to be visible.

The image presented minutes before, of the mighty President of the Shin-Ra Company, eating his early dinner alone, legs tucked in underneath the table's edge, and chair placed perfectly in line with the plate mat, silver clad knife and fork slicing through fish and various greens with the clear precision and yet gentle etiquette, might have appeared strange to others, wistful, lonely even, but to Rufus, it was the norm.

A fingertip stroked absent-mindedly along the cold metallic cutlery with an almost hypnotic consistency, as both his gaze and his mind remained focused upon other things.

Three full, long days had passed since the young brunette had stormed so confidently into his office, filled with both self-righteousness and fiery temperament which had melted and mingled so suddenly with the more weaker of human emotions.

The words, the actions, the memories, every detail was still all to clear within the young man's mind, as though their confrontation played out mere moments earlier, and yet it also had gained a twinge of the surreal, as though, in fact, it had never taken place to begin with.

Rufus had never experienced such a sensory state, after all, such outspoken events had been been a constant factor in upon his life's time-line, especially with a person so lacking in both importance and speciality.

Sure he had seen women before, he'd practically spent the entirety of his early teenage years surrounded by the desirable type, but it was always so structured, so formulaic, as though his chosen companions had been selected and trained to perfection, so much so that he knew exactly what to expect from them. They bored him. But she, Tifa Lockhart, seemed to refuse to follow such codes. It excited him. She excited him.

Some part of him had hoped that their conversation turned out differently somehow, although it had certainly gone more to his liking than hers, it still seemed like something had been missed, like their battle between minds hadn't even come close to ending.

There was no denying that he had been rather enjoying the slow, lingering torment bestowed upon her by his own hand, and yet he wouldn't have described himself as being sadistic, no, his actions were down to something else, interest, curiosity, maybe even hope that it would lead him to something even more worthy of his attention.

He hadn't even bothered to glance at that little icon upon his charged computer screen, though not out of guilt, or remorse, but rather general dismissal, the whole situation somewhat losing its edge since she had revealed her discovery of the hidden surveillance, now, if he watched through those glassy lenses it would seem too much like some sleazy sideshow.

Plus his mind was almost complete in the certainty that the brunette would have made some attempt to remove them, or at least would have tried to cover them.

Rufus, although he would never allow the confession to pass his lips, found talking to the young Miss. Lockhart rather challenging, as, even though almost every partical inside him desired his words to play out with the most cruellest of whips, he did, sometimes, feel as though some other, insignificantly small part of him, wished to show her something else.

But he was good at keeping things from those surrounding him, he had made it somewhat of a necessity, spending most of his childhood years building up such walls of both emotional and actionable strength, meaning nothing, nothing at all, could penetrate them.

Like that moment inside the old Shin-Ra Headquarters, before it was destroyed in a ray of burning fire, both pure in direction and intent to turn everything in its path to nothing but dust. Who would have believed that the Planet would hide something so powerful, so dangerous, as its _**protection**_.

Within that office, that room, that plain, ordinary room, he had stood, waited, and watched as they hit, as the area around him burned away. It was his moment to shine, his moment to show his steadfast will, and beautifully strung defiance, and yet, there was no-one their to see it.

The young blonde finally managed to rise from the finally crafted chair and take a short stroll over to the nearby desk, were he proceeded to pull and lift its hinged lid open, and lean a single hand against its edge, as his five free fingers riffled through a few selectively similar looking papers he had some responsibly to read, though as his eyes began to fall upon their contents, something else drifted into his line of sight.

He allowed his hand to linger over the papers for a few more moments, before directing it towards one of the desk's inner hatches, and slowly gripping the end tip of the item which had attached itself to his attention with such precision.

As it slide out from the straight-lined cubbyhole, the item was revealed to be a simple, long, leather detailed, rectangular box, that looked almost out-of-place within the President's refined fingertips.

The cushioned material was soft against his skin, with each gentle pressure applied forcing it to crease and wrinkle, and yet it still remained beautifully resilient to the impact, soon springing back to its unmarked perfection within moments of its release.

He studied the item for a while, as his sensitive finger-tips traced patterns upon its surface, before running themselves across the hinged line, seemingly transfixed by the idea of viewing its contents once again, and yet also he seemed scared, or maybe apprehensive, at what opening the box would do or mean to him.

The lid's click was muted as it fixed into place, whilst its white, satin lining began to simmer with the delicate rays of pale afternoon light, though it was not the interior that he had so desired to view, but rather what was nestled so coldly upon it.

Every silver link was unscratched, unmarked and still glistened with an aged perfection, with each stone placed between them giving out an almost pearl like shine, and yet it also held hints of the deepest sapphire and the earthiest emerald, as though the stone itself could not decide on the more beautiful shade.

Rufus withheld from stroking it, with his own touch being denied by non-other than himself, and yet he still felt like he was being denied, but he did remember it being possessed with a different, ever-so softly feminine hand, one which had always meant so much to him, in the form of such solitary kindness, and yet he could no longer remember the face it was shared with, all that he could connect with it now was a few wisps of golden hair and the gentle smell of flowery citrus which would cling to the thin folds of cotton fabric that hung against her form.

His mother. She had been so _unknown_ to him, so fragile and yet so resolute in her demeanour, after all, she had chosen his father as a partner. He'd taken the necklace from her things, she'd only been gone a few moments before the room began to be cleared. His father didn't seem to bothered by its going missing, though maybe he just hadn't noticed.

Although he could not longer picture the neck upon which it hung, he still knew it was hers, and that it was something worthy as an item of remembrance.

Rufus had always wondered whether he would be remembered, what item or piece of himself would be taken by his own, well, by someone who felt enough for him, though, there was no doubting, that it would be his name, and his company that would outlive his own personal fame.

In all truth he did not yet feel satisfied, with either his company achievements, or his personal ones. He was still somewhat waiting to become the man he had wanted to be, the man his mother had wanted him to be. He was sure they had shared the same ideal, one in the same when it came to true contentment.

But then, his mother was just another person, someone that had become connected to him with only a few simple acts, none of which mattered, not really. He did not feel the need to 'impress' her, the same way he never did feel the need to impress his father, the father whom had always been so strangely inferior to him, somewhat likeable to the difference in stature between a wasp and a bee; his father was weaker, and he appeared as such, with no-one citizen able to fear him the same way the would his son, Rufus was the one that would leave more than a single sting in his wake, and he would not fall so easily.

It didn't matter anyway, they were both gone; his mother bared little renegotiation within him any more, and his father had been dead to him so some time before his last few breaths had been forced to leave his waning body.

His cold, hollow gaze lingered upon the piece of ageing jewellery for a short while longer, as he wondered, if maybe, sometime within his own future, he would in fact be expected to give it to his own chosen companion, after all, such a piece would add an almost prefect balance of beauty against a soft, pale nape, amongst strands of deep brunette.

As soon as the idea was allowed to form within his mind, his lids narrowed and his hand had swiftly returned the leathered box to its closed state and replaced it inside the deepened cubbyhole.

He remained there only briefly, before making his way form the room and into the hallway, where he proceeded to pull on a mid-length, darkened blue jacket, which hung impressively about his lower thighs with a light, gracefulness, the piece of clothing being both detailed in button work and uncreased in material.

The young blonde gave the collar a definitive tug, before reaching over to a nearby side table, and grasping up the set of metallic pieces that would lock away his personal life from unwanted, prying eyes, and within moments his form had swept itself away, leaving the house as empty and silent as it had ever been.

* * *

The air had taken on a slight chill since its time breezing through Rufus's latched window, and the paling light which had began to appear, marked the transition between afternoon and the on set of early evening.

It was a somewhat rare occurrence for the young President to wander outside alone, without guard or waiting vehicle, but it was one of those quiet days, without filled streets or darkened clouds and he found the idea of accompaniment to be all to unneeded.

Though, he did, of course, still carry with him, an easy to conceal, and precise to use weapon, with his five slender fingers ready within moments to wrap themselves around its metallic frame and empty any level of skilled attacker, after all, he would never allow himself to trust the '_commoners' _of his world.

Much to his own, personal delight, the street was rather free from civilians, meaning that, for now at least, he could go unnoticed, though, even the area's emptiness didn't stop his grip tightening with every passing movement, though not sudden and disconnected, but rather swift and graceful.

His chosen path was not one he was particularly familiar with, though the address and detail map had been easily committed to memory, and with every employee's living arrangements held on file within Shin-Ra's company system, it wasn't hard for him to look them up at a moments notice, nothing was beyond his knowing; he had access to everything and everyone.

A thin smile dared to tug at the corner of his pale lips, as he listened to the light echoing of his small heels shoes upon the pavement. There was no denying the fact that this little freedom from suited company was pleasurable in the most insignificant of ways. Even if it had been a working day for the blonde, he would have, never the less, wished to go alone, after all, the subject matter was private and even he was not completely sure as to what he was actually intending to after his entrance. He just wanted some knowledge, some small pieces of information; the kind his computer could not tell him, not in the same detail he would receive first hand. He needed control.

Rufus's pace quickened slightly as he neared his destination, whilst his eyes narrowed as the rest of his face cringed. There was no hiding it; he was not impressed. The area was clearly quite a bit lower than his desired standard, and he was almost annoyed at the idea that one of his employees, on of his Turk, had been allowed to live within such a place.

He entered the building with an unhindered ease, and again he found himself pleased at the seamless desertion he found himself within, all complex's inhabitants all apparently either too busy, or too scared to hang about outside the barrage of safety their own doors supplied.

The young blonde studied the communal hallway for a few moments, before swiftly turning towards a green lacquered door, a door which he knew for a fact, was not the Turk's, but, of course, it was not the Turk he was looking for, he knew his whereabouts already, no, what he was looking for was just pure and simple information.

Though as his knuckles came down to brush against the painted surface, a lingering creak sounded from behind him, and soon it was followed by the gentle clack of feminine heels.

For a moment, as he turned, Rufus could have sworn the form he had caught within his gaze was one of soft curves and darkened brown locks, though when his own observant equipment steadied, he found himself staring straight into the glass, gold framed face of Jane Taylor.

Her mousey brown hair fell about her shoulders with an uncharacteristic informality, whilst her plained eyes blinked rapidly behind their reflective shield, and when she spoke, her body edged forward, even though it was shaking with the wave of nervous fear which she had every right to be experiencing, ''President Shinra?''

* * *

As his icy gaze surveyed the living room, the pale skin surrounding his nose began to crinkle in distaste, both his vision and his sense of smell detecting rather a large amount of oddity's which neither pleased, or comforted him.

Though, of course, Rufus hadn't really expected the red headed Turk to share the same clarity of taste, but he still found himself rather surprised by the flat's complete lack of light, both visually and atmospherically, and that the rectification of its condition had not even been attempted by the young, female secretary.

The young woman was standing quite still, and although there were mere metres away from one another, she had chosen to partition herself with the coffee table that stood between them.

Her hands fumbled with the arms of the golden rimmed glasses that balanced so carefully upon the edge of his nose, whilst her voice battled with the garble of nerves that had been enforced upon her by her boss's presence.

Although she had, indeed invited him in of her own accord, it did not mean that she wasn't capable of regretting the decision as quickly as it was made.

Eventually, after a few moments, the worst of her trembling subsided, though her eyelids still flickered albeit swiftly, and her voice was far from steady, ''Can I-...can I get you something to drink?''

The young blonde remained silent only briefly before responding, his tone both curt and low, as his lips curled into a half sneer, ''What are you doing here?''

''Tifa, I mean Miss. Lockhart...she...she asked me to stay.'' Jane diverted her gaze as a fearful pink blush began to dabble upon her cheeks.

Rufus observed her with some degree of disinterested amusement, before allowing a solitary eyebrow to raise, ''And you complied because?''

''I-'' Before her lips could even form a quiver of desperation, she was halted by the single motion by the young President, whom proceeded to take a long, drawn out step towards her, though they still remained separated by the piece of living-room furniture.

''I thought I'd put you under house arrest?''

Jane eyed his position, and tried to minimise her flinching at his pressing proximity, ''Well, I, I mean you did, but-''

''But?'' The blonde's lips twisted into a mocking grin,''There is no 'but', Ms. Taylor. If I give you an order I expect you to follow it, not take it apart and trample upon it like some ignorant child.''

''That may be true, but-'' The young Shin-Ra employee allowed a few seconds to pass before finishing her response, seemingly needing the time to gather both her thoughts and her confidence, ''She said I'd be ok...'' she flicked her gaze up to meet his own before adding quietly, though sincerely, ''...and I trust her.''

Rufus chuckled silently before narrowing her icy blue stare, his tone hushed, and yet somewhat uttered through clenched teeth, ''_**She**_ is not here now.''

The young woman's fingers began to pick intently at the threads of partially unravelled material upon her cardigan, as her wording abilities became ever so slightly disabled with the jarringly truthful statement.

''I think it's time you went home.'' His voice was softly demanding, and although his air was steadfast in its authority, Jane dared to meet it with a flash of defiance.

''No.''

Rufus's brow rose with a hint of impressed surprise, though his tone was, once again, pure in its conviction, ''I'm your boss. Now do as you are told.''

She swayed up and down upon her heels in thought for a few moments before responding with her new found wave of courage, ''No. I need to stay here. You wanted me contained.'' One eyebrow twitched in an form of proud amusement, ''Does it really matter where?''

The young man's facial expression remained unchanged for sometime, as he studied the woman in front of him; their was a new spark within his secretary, and it was good, interesting even, though, of course, this did not change his opinion on the situation.

His lips parted, though didn't sneer, instead allowing his harsh arrogance to come through in the tone of his voice, ''I never really saw you as the impressionable type.''

Jane's brow furrowed lightly, ''Excuse me?''

''Miss. Lockhart...it's obvious she has had an effect on you.''

Anyone inside the room, and observing the young woman might have caught the shy glimpse of a smile upon her lips at the mention of such a thing, but it was halted swiftly in its tracks, as previously buried thoughts began to surface, and force her own composure to falter, ''I was just trying to help her...and Reno-''

She was cut of sharply by a rather mocking roll of laughter from Rufus, ''Again, you surprise me...I didn't think you cared so deeply for your red headed co-worker. If I recall you did rather disliked him...''

Jane's gaze lingered upon one of his jacket's golden buttons for a few moments before she managed a basic whisper of defence, though the strength displayed within his facial contours added a certain significance, ''Well...it doesn't stop me from being concerned.''

''Hm.'' He made a point to turn with the swiftest of graces, and as his harden souls brushed against the carpet on his way to the door, he called back to the still form of the young female, his confident smirk masked well behind his backed position, ''If Miss. Lockhart contacts you again, I'll require you in inform me immediately. If you fail me with _this_ order, you shall find me rather less than forgiving.''

The secretary's voice rumbled through the air with a quiet delicacy, ''Yes...Sir.''

Rufus's brow softened as he reached for the chilled, metallic door handle ''Oh and Ms. Taylor?''

The short silent response informed him of her compliance, and before he swung the door free from its frame, and parted over its threshold, he tilted his head to face the young woman, and his lips hinted at a gentle content, ''I will expect you back at work on Monday.''

* * *

A sharp click sounded as the door was pulled sharply to a close by the young President, whom had already ridden himself of any previously displayed emotion, and had returned to a state of self-assured calm.

Some might have taken his earlier reactions towards the young, mousey haired secretary, to be rather too soft for one of both his standing and reputation, but, like so many others had discovered, albeit too late, his reasons were not always directed at the obvious.

As Rufus made his way over to the stairwell, he drew his fingertips up around a couple of the gold, smoothed buttons, and began to slot them inside the cut-fabric holes, though whilst the simple task was in the midst of its completion, a soft, gentle hum both sounded and actioned within one of the jacket's inner pockets, causing him to twitch ever so slightly, before reaching inside the silken lining and pulling out the small, part-plastic piece of communication equipment.

Upon reading the familiar name imprinted within the screens surface, the young man swiftly flipped the device to its opened state and held it up against his unmarked, pale brushed ear.

''Tseng.''

A few moments passed as he listened intently to the information being directly passed to him, and when the Turk leader had drawn to his, all too imposed, finishing statement, the young President responded with a certain immediacy.

''I'm on my way.''

Whilst the phone's muted beep began to fade with the call's ending, Rufus had already began to dial out one of the many numbers he held for drivers, after making sure to pick one whom knew, with a fine accuracy, the swiftest way to Shin-Ra's own medical facility.

* * *

A/N= *Phew* actually got it up on time! Sorry again for the delay in updates, but I was rather preoccupied! Anyway onto the chapter stuff...

Bit of a Rufus central chapter here, I don't know why but I've always found him rather interesting, mostly due to the fact that within the Final Fantasy VII story, we don't actually find out a lot about him, apart from the obvious...I mean even the Turks seem to get a good chunk of characterisation, and background info, but Rufus...well, he seems a bit overlooked.

Oh and the whole conversation with Jane...I'm not trying to replace or 'copy' the kind of atmosphere between Tifaand Rufus, with him and his secretary, but I did want to show (because of later chapter developments) that their is a sense of 'bond' between them, in the fact that he is definitely more lenient with her, than maybe he would be with other employees, but not because of any romantic interest...

Anyway, there is some more RufusxTifa interaction coming up soon XD So don't get to dismayed that I haven't even included her in this chapter :)


	15. Ch14: Unfelt Guilt and Bold Demands

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy does not belong to me...however much I may like it to. I own no characters, places etc. etc. so please don't sue me! I'm a nice person :)

Author's Note: Chapter Fourteen...PLEASE review as I really enjoy reading your views and they inspire me to get better! It would make me very very happy! Anyway stop reading this and get on with reading the fic! Hope you enjoy! :)

**Chapter Fourteen: Unfelt Guilt and Bold Demands**

A small, yet inescapable series of perfectly patterned beeps sounded from the square-sided piece of equipment which stood with a professional correctness, in place, beside the bed's metallic frame.

The room was of a pale brightness, though it seemed very much to be free of windows, with lines of highly infused white bulbs, which, though providing more than enough light for the room's requirements, seemed rather dull and unhealthy; creating a strange feeling to find in such a place.

It was a wonder how any of the workers within the centre could manage to remain under such lifeless restrictions, as, while there were an array windows in the corridors, paired with the most beautifully invigorating views, those whose time was spent there, the chance of having time enough to catch a momentary glimpse, and bath within the glass-shielded sunlight long enough to grow warm, was of the small variety, so much so, that it would have been considered a myth.

Rufus's ice-blue gaze rolled over the thin, eerily still form which lay upon the bed, surrounded, and tucked in place with the finest-woven white linen. The slight rise and fall of his chest was the only thing that displayed the remaining life which fought ardently against the unseen damage that had caused such trauma within his body.

There was no blood, or bruising, or sign of injury, apart from a slight paling of the skin, and a general lifelessness and to many it would have appeared that the young male had suffered nothing at all, but the truth of the matter was of quite a serious nature, as everyone would know; internal damage was something else, as a mere scratch to the face is nothing compared to the same upon an organ. That was something to be feared.

Tseng shifted uneasily, before emitting a breaking cough, "He is in a stable, but critical condition Sir."

The Turk's gaze flickered over to the young blonde, though only for a moment, and upon receiving no response, he took it as a signal to continue, "The doctors aren't sure…they can't predict exactly how-"

He halted again, however this time due to a lack of want to admit, though he soon overcame it and managed to complete his report like statement, albeit with such quietness of tone, "It could be a mere few weeks before he's ready to work again…but then, there's a possibly he might never be fit enough to even leave this room."

Although the raven haired male was quite clearly using a great deal of energy in suppressing the pained concern which was edged so distinctly upon his face, his faltering tone and uncomfortable manner were all too real.

It was true that having to explain such a thing to someone like Rufus was no easy thing, especially when any displays of weakness or emotion would be either ignored or severely loathed, but although he was the leader of the Turks, and he had to be seen to set an example of professional and uncompromising conduct, he had also grown to care, rather deeply, for each and every employee under his order. He was like their father, and he felt responsible.

"They won't know for a while though, all they can do is monitor his progress…" He took a quick, steadying breath, before allowing his face to settle to a state of unfeeling calm, "There's no family to inform…but-"

"Miss. Lockhart." Rufus's brow twitched slightly, though his voice had not been raised, or filled with anything close to caring.

Tseng emitted a light sigh, "Yes…should I send someone?"

There was only a moments pause before the blonde responded with a simple, yet firm; "No."

The Turk's brow furrowed in confusion, though there was definitely a hint of curiosity within his tone, "Sir?"

"I shall go."

"Are you sure-"

Tseng halted in his questioning, when the young male turned swiftly with a flick of his silver-blonde locks and shot him a look as if to say; I'm the President, of course I'm sure.

"Shall I get the driver to-"

The raven-haired Turk had made to approach the door, but stopped in his motion when the President halted him with a simple raised hand gesture, "That will not be necessary; I shall not go to her till tomorrow."

"Be careful Sir, she might…grow rather upset...and there is the possibility that she'll take it out-"

He was paused once again by Rufus, whom made a point to lock his gaze upon the young male, "He's a Turk Tseng, like yourself, and he has been since the day they met. There was always a threat upon him, and she knows it…it could've happened at anytime…anywhere…"

Tseng's facial muscles clenched as an overwhelming desire to defend the red head washed over him, "But, he was alone and-"

The young blonde silenced him with a distinctly, well-trained glare, that oozed threat and yet was a beautifully crafted thing to behold.

"I think I shall depart now." He smirked lightly as he made to pass the raven-haired Turk, "No doubt, I'll be here again tomorrow with the young woman."

"And if his condition worsens?"

Rufus pointedly took his time in the delivery, and, as always, held both his gaze, and his tone together with steady, unemotional perfection.

"Then…it worsens."

* * *

A light breeze ruffled through the air, and gently whipped about the young man's coat, whose pale cream-brown shade added a hint of delicate refinement to his appearance, and yet took nothing away from his air of supremacy.

Rufus's form stood, quite still, outside the familiar entrance; his cold, blue gaze was seemingly fixed upon the door's darkly-polished surface, though on closer inspection, it would have appeared his eyes were rather more staring 'through' the wooden material, than actually at it.

He wasn't waiting for the bar's owner to allow him inside; in fact, he hadn't even taken the bother of knocking as to reveal his wish to enter, as the reality of the matter was, he was the President, and he didn't need anyone's permission, not even the inhabitant's, to pass over the threshold.

After a few, quiet seconds, the young blonde slide his right hand, down into his pocket's silk-lined depths, and allowed his fingers to shift through the few held items, before slowly lifting out the body-warmed surface of the desired piece of equipment, which was perfectly copied to equal its original.

The pale, slight dimmed light of day glinted upon the small, curved shape of the metallic item, which soon became shrouded within the lock it was made to fit, and after a swift-flick of the wrist, a dull click sounded and the door became released from its frame.

After his entrance, the young man brought the door and its frame back to their previously closed-latched position, before proceeding to make his way across the shadowed, unlit bar area, and through the usually bar-tended section.

Before long, he was standing at the foot of the paled-uncarpeted stairs, which the President knew from experience, lead straight up, and through to the young owner's flat, and place of residence.

A hint of a smirk graced the corners of the young man's thin, light shaded lips, as he mused over the consequences that would befall anyone, other than himself, if they took it upon themselves to enter a woman's home without their permission, or knowing.

The stairs emitted the smallest of creaks as his form ascended towards the painted door, which, like the other, he had full entrance to.

Soon enough he'd passed through the locked obstruction with the same amount of ease as its predecessor, and made his way across the lounge, and around to the sofa, before slowly lowering his form upon the cushioned rest.

He remained there for quite awhile without discovery or disturbance, though after picking up on a slight click that sounded from one of the doors, residing down the far-end of the corridor, homed just past the living room, the President knew it wouldn't be much longer until his presence was detected.

The approaching footsteps caused a somewhat teasing chuckle to emerge from his lips, though he managed, with a bought of will-power, to suppress the urge and remain silent, and unmoved, both in position and expression.

A gentle hum played within the brunette's throat, as she made her way down the corridor, and through to the lounge, though her brow furrowed upon noticing the rather unclosed state of her flat door, "What-" she made a swift, defensive turn, though merely jumped slightly upon spotting the young blonde, whom was viewing her with a degree of arrogant amusement.

After taking a few, brief moments to regain her composure, Tifa made to cross her arms, and raised a rather irritated eyebrow, "I don't remember inviting you into my home…"

She received nothing but a piercing stare from the young man, to which she emitted a tired, yet knowing sigh, "How did you get in?"

Rufus smirked, "I'm the-"

"The President…yeah…figured you'd say something like that."

Both her interruption and completion of his statement took the young man by surprise, but not the shocked-sort, but rather the vaguely amused and delighted, though, of course, he did not show it.

The brunette lowered her brow once again, as she made to close the flat door, whose open state has seemingly bothering her, "So, what are you doing here?"

"I've come to inform you-" Rufus halted in his response, when he observed the young woman's lack of concentration, as she appeared to be studying some supposedly interesting leaflet, which lay upon a nearby side-table.

He sighed lightly in exasperation, before attempting to draw her focus, "Miss. Lockhart."

"Hm?" The insistence filling his tone had evidently been successful with the brunette, albeit not to the degree required

"Miss. Lockhart, your attention is rather key…" He stopped again, though this time due to the rather unfamiliar, choking effects that came paired with confusion. For once, he was at a loss for words. What was the correct statement, the correct wording? He had no idea.

He emitted a huff of self-disappointed amusement,_Maybe I should've had Tseng get someone else to do this after all…_

Tifa's gaze flickered nervously as she observed the young President, whose quiet unease she had been quick to notice.

Her heart beat out of pattern, and painfully within her chest as the realisation dawned upon her that maybe, for once, this wasn't just a meeting made for mockery and wit-filled insults, and soon her crimson-tinted gaze had grown glassy with a fearful knowing, which proceeded to line her tone with a trembling apprehension, "What?...What is it?"

* * *

Tifa's heeled feet clacked forcibly upon the tiled corridor, her anger, confusion, and fear becoming of such magnitude, that her ability to control it was growing rather weak.

She turned her head, so it was tilted, though only slightly, in the direction of the young blonde President, whom was walking by her side, and finding no difficultly in keeping up with her quickened pace.

"If he dies-"

"You'll kill me slowly, and painfully."

Her brow raised at his mocking, yet eerily calm remark, though soon fell back into its contorted position, as she continued towards the unfamiliar spot, to which, technically, she was being lead, though anyone viewing the pair would have believed them to be of equal knowing.

Within moments so lost her hold upon her lidded emotions, and began biting out her query with a harshness only ever able to be produced with a hint of intense disdain, "Why did you come, and not one of your lackeys anyway?'' she huffed deeply, as an angered sneer curled itself upon her pale pink lips, "Was it so you could see my face?"

Rufus twitched uncomfortably at the accusation, and was rather surprised to find himself feeling somewhat dejected at her low opinion. True, he enjoyed pain, and misery bestowed upon the less fortunate, especially when it was his own doing, but this was different, and she should know it.

He cursed inwardly at his own, stupidly misdirected emotions, _It's nothing more than a presumption…and a fault-ridden one at that…why should she know it? Why should I expect it of her… She doesn't know anything…_

"No. It was because it was my decision."

Tifa had been watching his prolonged reaction carefully, and for the briefest of moments, thought she'd spotted something else, though when he finally managed to make his response it had been as cold and steady as ever.

She sighed tiredly, "Why do you have to be so confusing?"

"I'm not."

The brunette emitted another sigh, though it was noticeably lighter than its predecessor, "Well, I can't understand you."

As they came to a stop outside their wanted destination, Rufus facial contours calmed to a state of pure unreadability, though something hinting in his voice seemed to portray a sense of complete and utter disbelief and bewildered curiosity.

"Why would you want to?"

Tifa's own expression lightened, as his query took effect, though before she could even begin to form some kind of response, the doorway opened and the broken red-headed form upon the bed took hold of her attention with a troubling force.

Rufus hand held the entrance free, as she passed through, and before he returned the doorway to it closed position, and the brunette to her privacy, he stated the instruction firmly, and without feeling, "You'll have the remains of the hour."

* * *

Rufus's hands lay clasped and rested upon the small of his back, whilst his icy blue gaze penetrated through the reflective sheet of glass, which, as always, and expected, was of a smug-free standard, whilst a solitary clacking pattern of footsteps echoed within the confines of the corridor's interior, as a nurse pasted through with the trained air of professional grace.

The noise didn't bother him; in fact, the very presence of another didn't even seem to register with the young blonde, though that wasn't to say he was becoming lacklustre with his sense of awareness, or concentration, but it was just that now, after hearing so many variations of work-like stirrings, he'd somewhat managed to lock them away, and out, of his mind's current deliberations.

Although his focus appeared to be directed purely upon the rather spectacular urbanised scenery which was laid out before him, Rufus's thoughts were completely centred around a different, and to him, an all the more enchanting subject, though no-one would have thought it that strange for anyone, even him, to be so entranced by the brilliantly displayed view.

An array of steel structured, newly-built towers glinted brightly against the skyline, whilst the both commercial, and residential, lower-placed selection of buildings, littered around their foundations, with an almost purposefully, mismatched perfection.

Edge had been shaped with a rather needed swiftness; after the destruction of Midgar, the degree of the city's population that had managed to flee, and therefore survive the Meteor attack, had found themselves soon void of anywhere to settle, and though some did stray to the neighbouring areas, their were few who dared attempt to seek shelter in the devastated remains of the old Midgar, and thus, following a somewhat silently and unseen decision, the city of Edge arose.

The difference between the two cities would have appeared to be rather drastic, if both were able to be studied side by side; the previous being clearly sectioned, with one class separated from the other, almost mockingly, and yet both were somewhat self-forced to live in a cloud of darkness, and retained a complete lack of control over their world, with every, single decision being made by the company that towered over, and around them all. The new city however was bathed in the pale, unknown light of both the sun and the moon, bringing, to some, a whole new experience, and a whole new canvas of sky to their eyes. It would also have been true to say that the population, now somewhat freed from the oppressive power of Shinra, had become rather much like an unherded flock of previously cared for sheep, their independence both being wanted and feared, as their lives took on a sort of aimless confusion.

Though that wasn't to say that the President, or his company, had been belittled, or indeed in any way, destroyed, but rather that they had fallen back from a battle which had been laid upon not just them, but the entire planet, in order to recover and regroup, and though at the moment they appeared to have been beaten into a somewhat sparse existence, Rufus knew, better than any, that they were merely waiting. Though even his mindful planning held no degree of troubled resonance, at least not today, anyway, as his current thoughtful attention laid rather uncomfortably upon a much closer and yet more complex subject.

He did not feel guilty, that was not an option, guilt was a reaction of the weak and self-doubting, he had made the decision and he had carried out the order, that was it, and he would do it again, even with the knowing of what damaging consequence would be born as a result.

It was true, to others his current lack of ability to hold his composure in the company of the brunette, would have been assumed to be something likeable to remorseful convict, though a convict not able, at least outwardly, to express his apologies and regret, though the reality of his discomfort arose from quite a different source, that niggling, unfamiliar irritation, which both engulfed his mind, and clutched at his nerves; jealously.

It was a simple enough for many to understand, but for the President, the trouble in the dissection of such an unknown, emotional reaction, that surfaced each and every time he was reminded, or forced to observe the bond shared between the red headed Turk, and the young woman whom, although having played some small part in his life from the moment she was born, had, till rather unpurposefully entering his world once again, been nothing more than another common citizen, was something of an a difficulty to say the least, and yet his mind seemed to ravel in the curiosity it brought about.

Rufus emitted a silent breath as his conscious state began to escape the flood of thought-provoking reflections, and return to the pale reality of the centre's corridor, into which, the young brunette had quite silently managed to enter.

Her voice appeared to falter when she realised her presence had gone somewhat unnoticed, and for a few moments, she remained hovering beside the doorway, through which she had passed, whilst it came to a gentle, yet still audible close.

The slight click that followed from the metallic latch, resonated just enough through the echo-prone corridor to bring the young blondearoundtothe discovery of the feminine variety, and with all the grace that came at such an ease to him, Rufus turned about, and allowed his unmoving gaze to rest upon the quite attractive disturbance.

Her lips parted, though remained without sound for a while, before the young brunette managed to rather quietly emit her request, "I want to come and see him tomorrow…is that-" she paused for a moment in both disgust and uneasiness at her finishing query, "…allowed?"

"Yes."

The swiftness at which he'd answered took Tifa rather by surprise, and she made no effort to conceal her reaction, as she proceeded to allow a quiet calm to settle between them, before airing another, slightly nervous inquiry.

"How do I get here? I mean, I was brought by you and I don't know-"

"A driver can be arranged."

His tone was one of pure, steady authority, and contained not so much as a hint of emotion, and yet his eyes portrayed something most conflicting, enough in fact, to confuse the brunette to a state of intrigue, though she took it upon herself to withhold her curiosity for a later meeting.

She took a rather unnoticeable step towards the President, whilst her fingers began to dance nervously together, "And…what about the matter of a pass?"

Again he neither smiled, nor displayed any hint of his previous unease, his usual state of unfeeling arrogance now seemingly returned, "I'll inform the Turks. There'll be one stationed here no doubt, they can get you access."

Tifa made to grimace or air something with intent to annoy and infuriate, but found herself rather too troubled and all too confused to do so, and instead responded with a simple; "Fine."

Another silence proceeded to pass between them, though this time, the brunette seemed unable to keep her eyes from the young man's form, as they even took to narrowing slightly upon their thoughtful inspection, and yet seemed to be, in some form, expectant.

Rufus was neither blind, nor ignorant to the attention being bestowed upon him, but although he did at first show hints of amusement, his expression soon reverted, and he displayed upon the brunette, a pure and unadulterated glare of perplexed displeasure.

"What are you doing?"

The young woman twitched lightly as she swiftly halted in her observations, and even showed touches of embarrassment, as a slight red hue appeared to brush upon her cheeks, "What? Nothing, I-"

He brought her to a halt with a simple hand gesture, and after studying her own, nervous continence for a few brief moments, he made his own evaluation.

"You look like you're waiting for something…"

His brow rose only slightly, but it display enough to force a rather shy smirk to curl upon the young brunette's lips, "I'm not."

A deep and mocking chuckle rumbled within Rufus's throat, "And to think you used to be able to lie your way through Shin-Ra's security fields…"

Her face looked almost desperately restrained as she attempted denial, rather fruitlessly, "I'm not lying-"

"Yes you are." His tone almost sounded as if it were converted to an expression, would appear as the most arrogantly knowing sneer, "You don't think I can spot a liar? Every motion, every change, every little falter played upon the features…I can read all the signs of a deceiver."

Again, for the second time within the course of a mere five minutes, Tifa felt the need to diminish and trample upon the blonde's words, though this time she found herself unable of simulating her previous decision of restrain, "If you're so good at understanding people…then why are you alone?"

His brow made to furrow, but then seemed to think better of the action and remained set in place, "Because I choose to be."

His gaze lowered slightly, before turning swiftly towards the facing double-doors, through which a well-dressed form could be seen, and after a wave-like gesture from Rufus, the young, unnamed male proceeded to make his way as quickly, and yet, as calmly as possible through the doors, and along the corridor, before coming to rest beside the President, to whom he gave a curt nod.

"Would you please prepare the car for myself and Miss. Lockhart."

The driver gave another quick nod, "Yes Sir, and the destination?"

"My house."

The male nodded once more, before departing from the pair's presence, and heading back through the double doors through which he had just passed.

Tifa's brow had been contorted with confusion, "What-?''

"It's getting late, and you couldn't have eaten since this morning."

Her brow furrowed further, though a smile played upon her lips, and yet it was not filled with happiness or joy, but rather nervous bafflement, "But…I don't…I don't understand?"

Rufus allowed no smirk or hinted smile to grace his own lips, though his tone did not soon unkind either, "It's simple enough; you and I are going to have dinner together."

The young brunette looked both fearful and angered at the prospect, "I don't think-"

"Miss. Lockhart, all this hostile mockery of emotional dribble you insist upon me is becoming rather grating, and as such I rather think it is time we spent some conversational time together, out of an office, and out of public display…where your playful dramatics will be of no use."

She stared at him for a few moments, with an unreadable expression, that remained as she attempted to shift the insulting words from the statement's actual intent, though the conclusion that came from these precise workings seemed to confuse the brunette even further.

Upon seeing the young woman's utter bafflement, Rufus decided to take it upon himself, and direct them both to his liking.

Clasping his hands together, once again upon the small of his back, the blonde turned, whilst calling rather knowingly back to the still form of Tifa, "Come on, my driver is waiting."

* * *

A/N= I'm so, so, so sorry this took soooooo long to get out. I'veliterallybeenkicking myself over allowing such a prolonged delay. I'd actually written the full plan for this chapter about…five…yeah five days ago, but then my computer got a virus and decide to go at a snail's pace…a disabled snail…and then my mate got back from uni, and came over for a couple of days and totally took all my time up, so yeah…sorry :( But I can almost certainly promise you the next update will be much, much quicker…and will, at the latest be up by the end of next week!

But anyway, I know this chapter's a little…slow? but it's more of a 'bridge' for the main happenings within the next few chapters, which are gunna havealot (and I mean A LOT) of pure, RufusxTifainteraction! I actually wrote about five pages of conversation between them in this chapter and ended up taking it out for a later chapter…and that's just something extra to what's already planned.

And I purposefully didn't go further into what had happened to Reno because I felt it should be left more to the imagination...

Oh, and when I was writing this, I was watching Pride and Prejudice (the bbc series because it rocks!) and I couldn't help but see the smallest similarities between Tifa and Elizabeth, and Rufus and Darcy…it was kinda weird…


	16. 15IsolatingDrives&ProvokingConversations

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy does not belong to me...however much I may like it to. I own no characters, places etc. etc. so please don't sue me! I'm a nice person :)

Author's Note: Chapter Fifteen...PLEASE review as I really enjoy reading your views and they inspire me to get better! It would make me very very happy! Anyway stop reading this and get on with reading the fic! Hope you enjoy! :)

**Chapter Fifteen: Isolating Drives and Provocative Conversations**

The young woman's crimson-tinted gaze narrowed ever so slightly, as it swiftly became directed to the polished, wooden clock, which hung upon the wall; the mechanical workings ticking away meticulously in an irritatingly perfect rhythm.

Although her eyes took a moment to observe the time displayed with the two, finely crafted hands, she didn't seem to actually take the hour in and instead appeared to simply conclude that the silent minutes were ticking by at a rate not to be abided.

She quickly flicked her eyes back to the plate laid before her; though not without taking a passing glance at the young, fair male whom sat opposite her own form.

Unlike herself, the finely-held President seemed rather unaware of the current tension that lay heavily, with a coupling uncomfortableness, within the surrounding atmosphere, though one might have suggested he was simply more skilled with the art of ignorance.

Tifa's fingers kept their wrapped position around the two, pale-lighted, silver pieces of cutlery, though they were in use at the time, instead they remained stiffly held, hovering about the plate with an uneasy stillness.

The food had been really, very nice, and there was little of it left upon the pure, white china, which had now become prey to a few, thin tracks of sauce, and uneaten potatoes, but there was no denying that this dinner felt, and indeed appeared to be starkly different from the last shared with the President.

For one thing, they were at his home.

* * * Flash Back * * *

A slight, high-end squeak sounded, as the driver's leather-clad hands pressed tensely around the perfectly-formed steering wheel.

This time Rufus hadn't bothered with the privacy screen, obviously aware of her discomfort, of diminished energy; it had quite clearly been a trying day for the young female.

Tifa could not be exactly sure how long they had been travelling for, though it definitely didn't seem like it was, or would be a short trip.

Her stomach gave a small, empty flutter as the realisation of just how isolated she may soon become, after her exit from the vehicle, hit her like a EMR to the head.

His house could, and in fact appeared to be situated in a rather distant location, even if the President himself could make a swift journey to the city, or make an easy exit, it would no-doubt be a lot harder for her to do the same.

She'd have no transport, no way of contacting anyone, and no real idea of what path to take if she chose to walk away.

The young female was good, and truly at Rufus's mercy.

Tifa emitted a silent, ever so slightly pained sigh, as she tilted her head to lie upon the leathered head rest, so her gaze was directed purely at the vehicle's slick windows.

Of course it was a rather pointless gesture; the supposed windows were, themselves, blacked-out.

It wasn't surprising in anyway; after all the vehicle was used by the President, and not only did he like his privacy, he liked everyone else to know he could buy it.

Commoners could watch on as it drove through their darkened streets, knowing for a fact that one of the most powerful men resided within, metres away, and yet was sealed off from them completely.

It had come across her mind that he could have, if he wished had paid for windows which gave a clear view out, whilst only displaying dark-cloaked screens to the observers, and yet these windows were distinctly smoked.

She wondered if he ever admired a view, or took a moment to appreciate a piece of art.

The whole idea seemed so surreal, and yet extremely intriguing to her.

Could he really ever be like a normal person?

Did he ever watch bad daytime chat shows?

Did he ever sit down to a glass of milk and a good book?

Did he ever hum in the shower?

Did he ever stay up longer to watch a thunderstorm play out?

Did he ever want to be a doctor or a pilot?

Did he ever eat in bed?

Did he ever daydream about stupid little things?

Did he ever wish he could have a smaller nose?

Did he ever wish he could be someone else, even for a day?

A month ago she wouldn't have cared either way, she wouldn't even have thought about it, but now, for some reason still clouded to her, she wanted to know every little thing.

She wanted to know him better than anyone.

_What's happening to me…_

Tifa rubbed a close finger lightly across her brow, though still remained gazing into the greyed car-window.

The coloured glass was dull and ever so slightly dreary, but it was better than staring at the driver's capped-head.

It wasn't so much that the quiet was 'boring' or 'annoying' to her, but more, 'strange', and maybe even a little 'worrying' because she found it alright.

It had become comfortable to her.

As if she'd been there with him a million times before.

The idea, coupled with the silence, unsettled her to the point that she had, in fact, been unable to make eye-contact with the young male since their entrance into the vehicle.

She had been so intent on her ignorance of the present, Tifa almost didn't notice the gentle rumble emitted by the engine as it came to a sudden, yet soft stop outside the young male's home.

Soon enough the driver departed from the vehicle and had arrived outside the door upon the young female's side.

The metallic panel swung open with a seamlessly controlled grace, one that had all the air of being of so natural, and yet was so knowingly trained.

She stepped out with a slight awkwardness; her nerves, coupled with the hit of the cold, prickling air, causing her body to partially lose control and give way to the odd wobble, or changing glance.

When the young brunette made to turn, she found herself met with the familiar form of Rufus, whom had seemingly made his own way out of the vehicle; obviously not keen to wait for the driver to make his way round to his side.

For a moment she thought he'd displayed a hint of human emotion, and had actually taken the initiative to act for himself, though the thought was short lived, as she caught the scowl he swiftly directed at the driver.

He was angry that he had not been seen to first.

_So much for common courtesy…_

It was somewhat obvious that the President didn't appreciate coming second, as he motioned a quick, and somewhat 'warning' gesture to the driver, who darted back within the vehicle with a great deal less grace than he had exited with.

The engine made to start up once again, and soon enough it was gliding away and off through a completely different road than the one that they must have taken.

Tifa took a few steps forward and up to the pathway, where she came to stop beside the young male.

Her mouth neither dropped nor emitted a gasp when her crimson-tinted gaze fell upon the looming building, whose foundation lay rooted a mere six metres from her.

It was not that the structure wasn't impressive, far from it; the place was as large, and as daunting as any home would be when belonging to such an influential and wealthy male.

But that was exactly it; it had been expected.

Though, that being said, there was still one thing that seemed to claw uneasily within her.

For all its finery and expensive construction, the whole building emitted a feeling of pure and utterly untouched emptiness.

If it had been her own home, she would have never wished to enter it.

And she knew the inside would be just as hollow, just as bare, though not through lack of items, or decorations.

With the taking of a small, stiffed breath, Tifa began towards the exquisite, wooden frame, each echoing step matching the one of the male by her side.

* * * End Flash Back * * *

Rufus sliced through a piece of potato upon his place withan astounding grace, before proceeding to place and chew it with the same tailored silence, which seemed quite unbelievable to Tifa and yet she would have expected no less from him.

The brunette eyes fell down to her own plate once again, as she observed the half-cleared surface.

Although she was still somewhat suffering from the pounding hunger which had set upon her earlier, the meal's remains gave little comfort to her.

It was almost as if the troubled nerves had begun to rage her body to such a limit that the entrance of food would no longer be permitted.

Her gaze narrowed slightly as she continued to stare at the small mass with an almost weak determination.

Eventually the young woman seemed to cave, as her arm muscles relaxed, and loosened the grip upon the cutlery, whilst her entire form appeared to drop, and a quiet sigh found its way past her pale, pink lips.

_I shouldn't have agreed to this…_

As the unmoving silence persisted, every particle inside her screamed with a futile warning; the reaction now to late to matter.

She shouldn't have come here.

She shouldn't have agreed.

She should have just declined and walked away, back to the safety of her own, comfortable flat above Seventh Heaven.

But the fact was she hadn't.

For some reason, Tifa had accepted, and quite willingly at that.

But why had that been?

Sure the young President was attractive in an extremely charming and handsome sort of way, but he was also probably the most conceited, evil, socially and mentally immoral man she'd ever had the misfortune to know.

And yet here she was.

Rufus seemed to have finally taken note of his guest's reluctance to consume the food laid upon her plate and after swiftly flicking his chilled gaze up to meet her own, his familiar, straight tone sounded.

"You should eat."

Although she tried to keep the quiver from her voice, the young brunette found her response to be rather muted.

"One of my best friend's is in hospital, hooked up to a life-support machine…"

She traced a fingertip over the plate's rim as her gaze lowered slowly.

"It's hardly surprising that I've lose my appetite."

A moment passed, in which neither spoken a word, nor gestured, though eventually, a thought passed through Tifa's mind, one which she felt a need to air.

"Though I see you're having no problems…"

She could not stop her eyes from widening when the young male appeared to emit a deepened chuckle.

His eyes flashed brightly with a sort of delight at her testing comment.

"Why should I?"

Tifa took a few seconds to compose herself, and this time she made sure her tone was unfaltering.

"Because this is your fault."

The President's lips hinted at a smirk, though it never reached full potency.

"Poppycock."

He emitted a seemingly long held sigh, as his form leaned forward, so as to close a small degree of distance between them.

"This is Reno's fault."

This bold and composed statement was one of such daring offence that Tifa could do little to withhold her outrage.

She slammed one of her palms down upon the table with such a controlled force than the wood appeared to tremble.

"How?"

Although he took a great deal of pleasure from the young woman's outburst, Rufus took heed not to display it.

His hands clasped together as his form relaxed back into the well-structured dining room chair.

"He was the one who slipped up and got himself shot."

For a moment it appeared that the young woman would, once again, make some threatening gesture, and although her body did tense up, it was soon forced to relax.

Her eyes rested calmly upon the male's own, as she raised a solitary eyebrow.

"Well what about the rest of it…?"

She had no doubt that he knew what she meant, though he still persisted on emitting nothing but air, so after only the briefest of moments, the young brunette chose to elaborate enough so that, even Rufus, could not deny his already held knowledge.

"Everything else you've done."

His brow rose, though not with surprise or even the amusement she'd been so very much on the brunt of, but rather more out of curiosity.

Much to her annoyance, the President seemed insistent upon not saying a single word, and even though she made many a hinting facial gesture to display her want for a response, she received no such thing.

She sighed with an edge of frustration, before crossing her arms and once again latching her warm, burning gaze onto his own, icy one.

"Did you see anything interesting? In my bar…with those little cameras of yours…"

Rufus neither smiled, nor averted his eye line.

"What did I see?"

He lifted his wine glass and after taking a light, smooth sip, he lowered it just as carefully.

"I saw a woman."

Tifa's brow furrowed; it was not the answer she expected.

"Is that all?"

The young male took in a deep, yet controlled breath.

"I saw a woman alone."

Although her brow decreased, and a small, sarcastic chuckle escaped her lips, she was still unable to completely hide her confusion.

"I think I'd remember if I'd had no customers, and Yuffie came in more than once-"

She was halted in her rather pitiful response but the young male, whom smirked knowingly at her.

"You can be surrounded by people and be completely alone Miss. Lockhart…"

A lingering silence passed between them, though it was neither uncomfortable nor tense, but rather just 'provocative' in its presence.

An idea seemed to awaken in the young brunette's mind, and although she didn't actually display one, a smirk seeped through into her tone as she spoke.

"Have you learnt that from experience?"

The President's facial muscles twitched, and this time Tifa could not withhold her smile; she'd touched upon something there.

Her arms unlocked as she made to lead closer towards the male, whose body was still parted sufficiently by the table.

"You are just as alone as me…"

She'd hoped this little addition would trouble the young male even more, but instead it appeared to offer him some sort of reasoning escape.

Rufus had been in the process of taking another sip of the ruby shaded wine, and as he lowered the rim, he raised one of the fingers that had been clasped around it, to gesture his need for speech.

"But there in lies the difference…I chose solitude."

An unimpressed huff sounded from the brunette.

"I don't believe that."

Her crimson-tinted eyes bore into his with a slightly biased conviction.

"No-one chooses to be alone."

It was Rufus's turn to be unimpressed now, and as he raised an eyebrow, his lips curled into a glinting sneer.

"And why is that Miss. Lockhart? Because you can't stand it?"

He emitted a dark chuckle, which was neither pleasant in tone nor appearance, as his eyes roamed over the young woman's uncomfortable form.

"Look at yourself, your life has become a wisp of what it once was."

Tifa's jaw clenched as his eyes narrowed, with an intentional velocity, which was full of knowing arrogance.

"And you _**hate **_it..."

Her fingers curled into their palms, both needing to hurt and restrain, whilst her once, warm eyes, glistened with a sheen of pricking liquid, which had risen because of something other than hatred.

Usually she wouldn't have thought twice about blaring out some hurtful insult, or raging into her own attack, but the young woman knew he was trying to tempt her to do exactly that, and she wasn't uninhibited enough, at least at that moment, to give him the satisfaction.

Instead she simply blinked away the hot sheen of tears and carefully lifted up the plate before her.

"I'm finished."

The President observed her for only a moment, before rising from his seat and taking the piece of china from her.

"Suit yourself."

* * *

The cupboard door closed with a gentle thump, as the cushioned edges collided with one another.

The kitchen was flawless, well, at least to Tifa's eyes.

Each surface appeared to be pristine, and free from the clutter so commonly found upon other people's areas.

Someone might have assumed that the room was actually never in use, and that it rather existed for the stake of displaying its immaculate design, but the young brunette knew he did in fact go in there often.

It was the little touches that gave it away; the one glass with the clouded ring, placed in perfect alignment with the sink, or the jar, which although crafted beautifully, and with the finest glass, was littered with dried tea leaves, as only a few bags remained at the bottom.

_I wonder if he takes milk…_

The thought only crossed her mind for a moment, before it was gone, but its fleeting presence did arose something smiling inside of her, and yet the raging emotions that had flared earlier still remained dangerously sparked.

Her crimson-tinted gaze glided over the room once more before coming to rest upon the young male, whom was busily separating their used cutlery from their plates.

She hadn't been asked to follow him, if anything, it had been somewhat silently assumed that she would stay seated in the dining room, but that would not do for her, and besides, watching the President tidy up was something too intriguing to miss.

Tifa's lips curled slightly as the male went to close another drawer after setting a pair of placemats within.

The small facial motion did not go unnoticed by Rufus whom halted in step, and furrowed his brow immediately; obviously assuming the reason behind it would offend him in some way.

"What are you smiling at?"

The young woman emitted a small gasp, as her cheeks blushed lightly at the realisation that she'd been spotted, though it only took a moment for her voice to return.

"It's just…"

A slight, nervous smile hinted uncertainly upon her pale pink lips.

"…you doing this. It's…surreal."

His brow relaxed, and yet still remained lowered, demanding silently for her to expand upon her rather bleak explanation.

Tifashifted somewhat self-consciously upon the spot, and her fingertips began to fiddle uneasily with the cold, metallic door knob which rested behind her.

"I just always imagined you'd have servants to do this kind of stuff."

This seemed to both amuse and offend the young male, whom with a controlled grunt quickly set back about his tidying.

Rufus's eyebrow cocked, as he forced a rather too whitened cloth to glide over one of the work surfaces.

"Did you really believe I did nothing for myself?"

Tifa's warm, crimson-tinted eyes gave a gentle flutter.

"Well no…"

Her desperate tone expressed the tense discomfort she felt, though before continuing the young brunette made a conscious effort to pull on a fearless smile.

"Just the everyday things."

Tifa's smile widened into a rather unneeded grin, that had only become present to distract from her following statement, which seemed so ridiculous to her, and yet held some sort of effect.

"It's almost as if you're normal…"

Rufus flinched lightly at the mention of the term 'normal', but the moment soon passed.

After spending the following minutes-worth of silence placing everything within the kitchen back to its state of perfection, the President emitted a sharp gasp, preceded shortly be a sigh which both conveyed offence and slight disappointment.

Tifa's brow furrowed with a hint of interest, though her curious spark was soon quelled when her searching gaze fell upon the source of the male's discomfort.

A small, thin line scarred the tip of the President's finger; the skin supposedly having been torn by some stray wood splinter, or shard of long forgotten plate debris, which had gone unnoticed, though had clearly kept its razor-sharp intent.

A tight, moist flow of brightened crimson soon welled up from within the damaged area, but although the bleeding was small in mass, the young male still made quick work of enwrapping it within the holds of a pale brown plaster.

After placing the red medical box back within the cupboard from which it had just been forced to emerge, the President made to run a stray hand through his silver blonde locks, though he soon stopped mid-motion, when his icy gaze latched onto the young woman, whom stood, staring absorbedly at his now bandaged finger.

Rufus rolled his eyes, whilst a smooth groan sounded from between his pale, thin lips.

"What now?"

Although she was indeed startled, Tifa made a point not to show it.

Instead she inhaled in a deep, calming breath and took a few, confidently knowing steps towards the young male.

Her eyes locked onto his miniature wound once again, whilst she spoke as if quoting from a newspaper.

"…'_no one's ever seen him bleed or cry'_…"

A dulled chuckle of amusement sounded from the brunette; the movement causing a few dark strands to fall and brush with a soft delicacy upon her pale, porcelain shaded skin.

"It used to be something of a legend...in the slums."

Rufus raised an eyebrow with a testing slowness, and although his eyes expressed something close to a satisfied amusement, his tone was as composed and pompous as ever.

"It's just an idea Miss. Lockhart."

For a few seconds, neither spoke a word, nor moved an inch, until something completely unexpected sparked within the more feminine of the two.

One corner of Tifa's mouth curled upwards into a knowing smirk, as her head lowered, and her feet drew her back, towards the open door frame.

"Still…"

When she reached the carpeted pathway which separated the kitchen from the hall, the young woman flashed a slight, coy smile, before twirling gracefully and making towards the living room, though not before sounding out quietly, and yet loud enough for him to hear;

"…one down."

* * *

A/N= Argh! I'm so, so sorry about the lateness of this update, and I know I said it would be out earlier than this, but I've had a lot dumped on my plate recently and I had a slight bout of writer's block which was incredibly irritating.

Also it's my birthday on the 10th…so today! (woop woop) and I'm having a Final Fantasy themed party on Saturday, so I've been planning that! I'm having a Sephiroth cake :D and I'm dressing up as Tifa :D I've got the whole outfit and everything…its pretty awesome stuff XD

The next update WILL be sooner…usually it goes; A chapter for my RufusxTifa fic, a chapter for my RenoxTifa fic, and then a request, before starting it round again…but as I currently don't have any requests I can start work on the next chapter much sooner!

And I know there isn't actually a lot of conversation between Rufus and Tifa in this chapter, but that's because the main bulk of the stuff that I had didn't quite 'fit', but it defiantly fits in more with the next chapter! So don't worry the stuff that I said I had will be included :)

I was actually going to have a completely different ending to this chapter…in fact I had a whole other section planned out, but I realised that it just wasn't right, well just now anyway, because the atmosphere wasn't right, and it needed for something else to happen first…like if I put it in, it would look like I just slapped it in there for no reason, and with no build up…


	17. Ch16: Stirring Reads and Fueled Attacks

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy does not belong to me...however much I may like it to. I own no characters, places etc. etc. so please don't sue me! I'm a nice person :)

Author's Note: Chapter Sixteen...PLEASE review as I really enjoy reading your views and they inspire me to get better! It would make me very very happy! Anyway stop reading this and get on with reading the fic! Hope you enjoy! :)

**Chapter Sixteen: Stirring Reads and Fueled Attacks**

Tifa heaved a sigh of satisfaction as she walked from the kitchen, and into the hallway; for once, she felt as if she'd bested that smug, arrogant blonde, even if it was just for one, swift moment.

The silence that had proceeded to settle just made her achievement that little bit more real, after all, the President was not one to let himself be belittled or placed as a figure of 'amusement', which had meant she had left him, at least to some extent, speechless.

She folded her arms tightly as she allowed her warm gaze to travel, as she drifted gracefully into the living room, which she had spotted earlier when she'd been lead to the dining room.

It was somewhat surreal; being there, in the President's home, especially when she considered the fact that he wasn't exactly following her every move.

She never thought for a moment that it was because he 'trusted' her, that wasn't it, but rather that he didn't believe her capable, or even daring enough, to pull anything that might cause him 'distress'.

"Huh."

A slight curl formed at the left corner of the young brunette's mouth.

The room had seamlessly taken on the design of his office; the clean cut lines, the perfect blend of calm, non-offensive colours, the smooth fabrics and impeccably placed art works which added that extra touch of elegant finery.

It was all so new, so unused, so 'un-lived in'.

It all fit so perfectly, and she wouldn't have imagined it to look any other way.

Her heals scuffed gently against the cream, weaved carpet, as she slowly made to follow the line of the bookcase.

Every book had been placed perfectly, so none came forward, any more than the others, even though some were clearly larger.

_It must've taken him ages…_

Again, a small smile hinted upon her pale pink lips.

The idea that Rufus spent any amount of time, painstakingly lining up his texts was brilliantly amusing.

One might have thought he had a slight case of obsessive-compulsive disorder, but then, who didn't; Tifa had, on more than one occasion, lined her collection of Chocobo figurines, so as to have the largest leading the smaller, which each one perfectly descending in size order.

Most of the books appeared to be Shin-Ra related, or, at least, connected somehow to their dealings.

There was a collection of five focusing purely on Mako, whilst a set of ten, rather large, encyclopaedias, detailing everything, and anything about Materia, and there, in amongst the various spines, lay six boxed texts.

Each of the volumes had been bound in beautiful, dark brown leather, with a gold leaf border embossed within each cover's edge; each one being well formed, and designed to a traditional perfection, yet they appeared to be the only texts to have been somewhat 'well-read'.

Tifa's brow rose in slight interest; there being no title or informing wording upon the covers, there contents remained something of a mystery.

She hesitated for only a moment, before her hand found its way over to the shelf, upon which her gaze was directed.

Within seconds the young female had slide one of the texts from its unmarked, collector's box and was excitedly, yet carefully, flicking through its contents, her curiosity desperately seeking some fulfilment.

It wasn't exactly what she'd expected; the pages were filled with accounts, documentations, and newspaper prints, each one in turn, detailing Shin-Ra's history.

Most of it was self-advertisement, or promotion; each article and media publication as company-formulated as the last, with every word made to either to damn their competitors and enemies, or to mask what their projects really entailed.

It was somewhat nostalgic, to see, and read about such things again, though it was definitely not pleasant to experience them again.

They had always been there, in Tifa's world.

Shin-Ra had done so much, had been such big players, had caused so much damage.

They had created Sephiroth.

They had ravaged the planet.

They had destroyed Sector Seven.

They had forced everyone to live in fear…

They had controlled them…

For a time after meteor, she had thought maybe, just maybe they were free of them, after all, everything they had worked for had been destroyed, and yet, here they were, maybe not as strong as they once were, but they were still alive, seemingly 'untouched'.

Her crimson-tinted gaze glinted as a thin screen of moisture began to form; the memories of everything that had happened, were once again surfacing, and swiftly taking affect upon her emotionally.

She wasn't like Cloud, she hadn't hidden it, she hadn't tried to run away, but neither had she really ever taken it in, she'd just gotten on with it.

It wasn't just Shin-Ra and the destruction it had caused, it was what she had done as well.

It ate her up inside, every morning, every day; she'd wake up from haunted dreams, to find herself facing what she was now forced to live with.

She'd done terrible things; true she'd done so with slightly more 'honourable' intentions, but that wasn't the point, the fact was that she'd done them.

Tifa had never been sure of what she should have done, to make up for everything she'd done in the name of AVALANCHE, but she had always felt it, the need to try.

Rufus on the other hand appeared to show no remorse, no real understanding, or comprehension of what he'd done to the world, to her world.

She couldn't understand how he did it.

Her brunette hair whipped through the air, as her head turned swiftly towards the door; a gentle creak being emitted as it was pushed open by the young male, whom had supposedly finished up in the kitchen alone.

His brow furrowed for a moment as he became aware of her position, before he cocked a solitary eyebrow.

"What are you doing?"

The young female stared at her rather cold host briefly, before her gaze flicked back around to the bookcase.

"Nothing."

She quickly closed up the book which lay within her hands, and carefully slid it back into place.

Rufus hinted at a smirk as he slowly drew himself across the room.

"I hope you haven't marked anything."

He stopped at a cabinet beside the brunette and opened up a compartment to reveal what Tifasoon identified as a rather expensive looking bottle of whiskey, and a set of crystal tumblers.

As the amber liquid washed over the glass's base, its pourer raised his gaze momentarily to the young woman, who was watching him with a curious intent.

Soon enough his glass was filled, and he was smoothly re-capping the bottle, not even hinting at an offer of the same to the brunette, though she didn't seem too bothered by it; she hadn't expected him to ask.

He lifted a finger from the hand wrapped around the tumbler, and directed it loosely towards the bookcase.

"Find anything interesting?"

Tifa kept her gaze locked upon the President as she answered, though his attention appeared to be consumed elsewhere.

"Horrifying seems to be a better description."

For a moment she thought she heard him chuckle, though she could not tell entirely; his face angled slightly downward, enough to hide his real expression.

He took a few steps towards her, stopping just inches from her, and with his free hand, stroking along the shelf's line, halting the movement when his fingertip arrived at the collection of books that had been previously revealed by the female to have been her choice of study.

The young male turned to Tifa, with a raised, if slightly amused eyebrow.

"Reading up on Shin-Ra's history?"

Tifa emitted a short huff.

"No need to…"

Her arms made to slowly cross, as her stance took on a defensive edge.

"I already know what your company has done…I lived it remember."

Rufus seemed somewhat 'bored' by her answer, as his brow raised and his gaze diverted once again to the tumbler of whisky within his hand.

"Ah yes, is this were you tell me how sorry I should be, and what me and my company have put you through, and how we are all evil bastards.''

He began to slowly draw the beverage up to his thin lips.

"What can I say?"

The rim was barely brushing against his mouth, as he halted briefly to allow a smirk, before taking a smooth taste.

"Get over it."

* * *

Tifa froze for a moment, before her eyes appeared to darken in their intensity.

"You bastard."

The young male's brow lowered, as his cold, ice blue gaze narrowed is slight confusion, simmering anger and irrefutable curiosity.

"Excuse me?"

He seemed to be rather unimpressed with her somewhat tempered response, though he clearly didn't feel anything of 'remorse' for his own utterances, which, of course, were the source of her disgust.

The brunette shook her head in a mystified disbelief at his apparent indifference.

"What's wrong with you?"

The question seemed almost rhetorical, and yet she still undoubtedly wanted some sort of reply, though, of course, she received no such thing.

Instead, the young male remained silent, one brow cocked in bewilderment at this new 'attack' on his behaviour; he had come to expect them, and yet not completely understand their reasoning.

Tifa studied her host for a few moments, before making her inquiry in a hushed incredulity.

"Do you even feel…anything?"

The silence that settled was undeniably uncomfortable, at least from the President's viewpoint; any questioning that revolved around the subject of 'feelings' was not the kind he would be tempted into pursuing.

He raised one brow with a hint of amused apathy.

"You really are rather peculiar Miss. Lockhart."

His guest once again shook her head.

"And you are really rather pathetic."

Although her remark was not spoken with any particular 'bite', its meaning was enough to light the President's temper, causing the usually slow burning embers to spark suddenly.

His icy blue gaze locked upon hers with no evident flicker.

"I'd watch your tongue if I were you."

Usually such a threat would not be sufficient enough to withhold Tifa, but she was not without sense, and the ferocity masked behind the male's calm tone and expressionless face was enough to make her heart deaden, even if only for a moment.

Her crimson-tinted gaze swiftly averted, and became supposedly held by one of the President's glass tumblers standing within the cabinet.

The pause between them felt different than the other; calm, almost reflective, each seemingly processing the new rush of uneasiness within their minds.

Tifa's fingertips clutched at her trouser pockets, the action becoming almost comforting in the unfamiliar environment, which was failing, unsurprisingly, to make her feel secure.

Eventually her attention became, once again, directed at the blonde.

She didn't appear to be awaiting some 'response' or 'conversation, but was rather attempting to 'read' him; this new, peculiar motion not going unnoticed by its subject.

Rufus's gaze trailed over the female's form, with his expression almost hinting something of disgust.

"What is this?"

The 'this' was accompanied by a slight gesture of the hand from the male, his fingers firm, whilst his palm lay open as it was directed in the general direction of the brunette.

She wavered for a moment, though her lips did slowly part, and eventually managed to utter something, even if at first it was not exactly a straight explanation.

"I don't understand..."

She stared at him for a moment open-mouthed, before her warm-shaded gaze flickered to the space around him.

"I don't understand how you can go through life like this; so emotionless, so controlled!"

Her fist clenched, as her brow lowered in both anger, and confusion.

"So cruel…it's like you're not…''

She paused for a moment, as if she wasn't entirely sure of how to explain it.

"…you're not-"

She frowned at her own incapability; words seemingly escaping her completely.

Her host had been viewing this display without a hint of emotion in sight.

A small, if slightly misplaced smirk revealed itself upon his thin lips.

"I'm not sure of your point-"

Both the apparent smirk, and started 'brush off', seemed to bring some sort of clarification to the young female.

"Your life is empty!"

Her voice continued to rise, as her 'accusations' continued to fly out.

"You don't connect- you haven't connected with anyone, ever in your entire life!"

Tifa emitted an almost child-like huff of annoyance.

"How can that not bother you?''

Although the President was unable to hide his 'shock' at her outburst, it did not appear to anger him, but rather 'fuel' his own side of attack.

He gazed down at his tumbler as he swirled the small amount of remaining whiskey.

"I could ask you the same thing."

The young female looked somewhat taken-aback.

"I have friends."

Tifa crossed her arms defensively; the swiftness and look of unconcerned amused that followed was something to a little too close to 'play-acting'.

"I do! And I love them, and they…"

Her firmness flickered for a moment.

"…and they love me."

The smirk reappeared upon the President's thin lips, though this time it was joined by a raised brow.

"Is that so?"

He took a step closer.

"It seems to me that they've gotten on with their own lives now."

His eyes narrowed, though not with cruelty, but rather knowing.

"They don't exactly need you anymore."

The young female emitted a huff.

"You're not going to upset me…"

She took a step closer now, and raised her brow defiantly.

"…your game won't work."

She was now but a few inches from her host.

"…I know my friends."

Her voice had been hushed, but firm and her eyes were hiding any hurt, or distress he might have caused her by his recent questioning, but of course, Rufus was no fool, and he could spot an act, especially when that act held some easy flaw to be used to full affect.

He smiled lightly, leaning in closer as he did so.

"Well then, I'm happy for you."

With the somewhat 'friendly' smile still upon his face, the male slowly took a few steps back, whilst keeping his ice gaze looked upon the brunette, before turning slightly and refilling his tumbler.

The amber liquid flowed over the glass's base with a smooth perfection.

"So, how is that Strife fellow?"

He turned back towards the female, twirling the drink in his hand.

"Seen him a lot of late?"

Her crimson-tinted gaze flared.

"Shut up."

Her crossed arms tightened their position as if attempting to both withhold, and protect herself.

"He's just been…busy."

The male gave a short, swift nod; every inch of him condescending.

"Oh course."

Even though his utterance had, in appearance, been one of agreement, the young female grew more irritated in its presence.

She flung her arms down with a hint of the dramatic.

"It wasn't…it's not like that!-I…"

Words once again escaped her, and she ended with a sigh of both aggravation and sorrow.

"You wouldn't understand…"

She took a moment to clam herself, allowing her breath to return to its original rhythm

"You don't know anything."

Her host took a sip of whiskey, emitting a huff once the tumbler had parted from his lips.

"I know what I know."

Tifa's brow contorted, whilst Rufus leaned backwards against the cabinet, flicking the few stray silver-blonde strands of hair from his icy-blue gaze.

"And I know you were quite obviously harbouring over misapprehension."

The female's brow furrowed even further.

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"You loved him, he didn't love you."

Rufus hand a general gesture with his hand towards the brunette.

"At least not in the way you desired."

He allowed his eyes to roll over the female's form; almost imagining her past behaviour right there and then.

"…and yet you pattered after him like some silly school girl."

He took sighed before taking another sip of whiskey.

"It would be rather amusing if it wasn't so pathetic."

Tifa's eyes seemed to shake with anger, but she said nothing; a few deep breaths and a slight clench of the fist appeared to steady her temper, but although her crimson-tinted gaze was averted, it still burning furiously.

Without a word to the President, the young female glided over to the cabinet behind him, and filled up her own tumbler of whiskey; drinking it down the instant it was poured.

She lowered the glass slowly, and began stroking the rim, almost as if she was deep in thought, devising something.

Rufus chuckled lightly, amusement evident, and yet there was still a slight suspicion behind his eyes.

Noticing the distinctive grip the female had just placed upon the tumbler the President furrowed his brow, and almost jokingly rearranged his position to one of a more secure nature.

"I hope you're not thinking of using my glassware as some kind of weapon."

Tifa huffed with a dull sort of amusement.

"No…"

She slid the tumbler back over beside the whiskey bottle.

"…that would be a waste of glass."

A small smirk hinted at the corner of her soft, pale pink lips.

"My fist on the other hand..."

Her form moved so swiftly that she almost seemed to blur, the only evidence of her sudden, yet forceful attack being the sharp, resounded 'thump' that came as her fist collided with the President's cheekbone.

The attacked stumbled backwards with the impact; grabbing onto the back of a chair for support.

When he'd steadied himself, he made to rub a few fingers over the abused area of his face, silence filling the air.

The young brunette swayed nervously; the full realisation of her resonant action seemingly hitting her with the same shock as the male had felt at the moment of attack.

Suddenly, Rufus lifted his head, though did not attempt to make eye contact, instead keeping his focus upon the floor, as though this time, it was him doing the devising.

A slow, deep breath was drawn from the blonde.

"Miss. Lockhart…"

This time the blur was formed around the male, his own movements rivalling the rapidity of Tifa's, and with a gracefulness that came from years of trained control.

Before she could realise it, her arm was within a vice-tight grip and her form was flung forcibly against the opposite wall.

Tifa's body shook weakly under the male's grasp, the sudden, and unexpected action leaving her completely unprepared and unsure.

His face was held barely an inch from her own, and his gaze pierced strikingly through the female's; the icy-blue seemingly overpowering the warm, crimson with a dangerous ease.

His thin lips parted, though did make to hint at his usual arrogant smirk.

"You are never to do that again."

His tone again was soft, almost as if he was whispering so form of affectionate utterance, but of course, it was nothing of the sort, with the reality of threat practically dripping from every syllable.

Rufus viewed his captive with a interest, she was shocked, clearly, but it was the glint of fear within her gaze that drew his curiosity.

_Does she really think I would hurt her…?_

He studied the female for another moment.

_Maybe I would…_

His grip loosened upon the young woman's wrist, and he somewhat unsteadily backed away.

His body appeared to be shaking, though not out of nervous display, but rather his own system was failing him; his shade paling, as his skin trembled, whilst his breathing became caught and unregulated

He rather precariously stumbled over to the cabinet and poured himself another drink, quickly proceeding to gulp it down, before lowering himself into a nearby chair, rubbing his head as he did so.

Tifa, who had been observing the scene, narrowed his gaze in concern, all thoughts of the recent series of attacks by them both, seemingly forgotten.

She lighted herself from the wall and took a few steps closer to the male, before taking a seat opposite the President's own.

"Are you…ok?"

Rufus didn't bother to raise his gaze, and instead continued to stroke his temple with a soft sort of rhythm.

"I am as well as my body allows me to be."

At the contortion of the female's brow, her host emitted a sigh of light aggravation.

"Diamond Weapon."

"It still affects you?"

Rufus lifted his head so as to manage another deep, steadying breath.

"It never stopped…"

His gaze dropped, as though, for once, he was ashamed of the truth.

"It was not able to be."

The disbelief was clear within both the female's voice, and tone.

"But…you seem so…well, you don't look ill."

She viewed her now, rather paler host, and sighed to herself.

"Not usually anyway."

The male once again, began stroking the rim of his tumbler, the action seemingly comforting in some way.

"The damage is…"

He huffed as though the statement offended him.

"…it is unique."

Tifa's gaze had to latched upon her host was an almost 'fascination', the sudden bout of information increasing both her confusion and her curiosity.

"That day…what happened?"

For a moment, she thought he was going to deny her a response, though for some reason he was becoming more and more open by the second; the vast amounts of whiskey consumed seemingly taking affect on his usually vast-held boundaries.

"I was in my office…overseeing…overseeing the operation."

He took a sip from his tumbler.

"The Sister Ray…well it did its bit."

Rufus's ice-blue gaze held its point of fixation straight ahead; his mind clearly focused upon one memory and one only.

"And then I saw the lights…"

The male froze for a moment, though not out of fear, or nervousness, but rather some sort of defiance, and Tifa caught it.

"I stood there, that moment…I knew what would happen and I waited."

Tifa's mouth hung lightly open in a sort of disbelieving awe.

"You just stood there?"

For the first time during the train of conversation, the President turned and locked eyes with his guest.

"What else was I going to do?"

"Weren't you…afraid?"

Rufus smirked, and though it appeared somewhat 'lacklustre', his ice-blue gaze gleamed with a certain 'pride'.

"I embody the very heart of Shin-Ra, I am power itself, and I have to remain so."

He raised his brow meaningfully.

"Even when there is no-one there to see."

Rufus reverted his attention, and once again made to focus upon the air in front of him.

After a few silent mintues has pasted, he rose his brow lightly.

"It's late."

Tifa's lips formed a small, soft smile.

"It's early."

* * *

The room was coated in a dull silence, with only the lightest of sounds to disturb the quiet.

A small tick resonated with a perfect regularity from the well-crafted wooden-panelled clock that hung upon the wall.

The curtains whipped gently as wisps of chilled air flowed through from the window left slightly open in order to maintain a certain 'clarity' to the environment.

Soft breaths wisped un-seen from the figure laid out upon the sofa; her body curled slightly into itself, forcing her clothes to ripple, and fold against themselves, whilst her hands were held beneath her face, so very much like an infant.

Her form was almost completely still; the gentle rise and fall of her chest, and the odd facial twitch being the only signs of life emitted.

The other disturbance was no more than a dry rustle, created from the slow turn of the crisp, thin pages from the young male, whom sat, quietly reading, in one of the armchairs residing besides on of the further-off corners.

After their 'heated' confrontation, the pair had done little more than glance at one another, and yet the atmosphere was no longer hostile in any way, if anything, it had been calm, almost pleasant.

They'd sat without conversation now, for quite some time, and whilst Rufus didn't exactly mind his guest's sleeping state, he was somewhat plagued with a mild confusion as to how she was able to be so in his presence.

Both had stayed within the living room for the remainder of the evening, and even though they didn't interact with one another, both found something to interest them.

Her tumbler of whiskey, which she had refilled at least twice, had 'entertained' the young female for a while, before both the contents and the time had rather manipulated her body to tire, thus she had finally allowed sleep to claim her.

Rufus on the other hand had managed to occupy himself with a rather newer book from his collection, the contents detailing recent advancements and discoveries concerning Materia; he never really read fiction, it was all to 'illusory' for his tastes.

Another light inward breath from the female sounded softly within the air, causing the President to glance.

The quiet was usual for him, though being within the same room as the sleeping female was really quite an unusual experience; it was almost 'intimate'.

However the peculiarity of the situation was not enough to tempt him to wake her; that might be worse in the long run with her argumentative history, plus there was no denying, not even by him, that she did look rather magnificent within her present state.

Rufus emitted a sigh, as a slight dizziness came across his mind; his body now too, becoming consumed by the late hour.

He looked over the page his gaze had currently been studying, and made to flip the cover leaf over and between the two sides of paper, before shutting the book with a dull, small thud, and sliding it onto a nearby table.

The young male remained seat for a few more moments, before rising and crossing over the room, coming to a halt only when his form arrived just forward of the doorway.

There was no hindrance or obstruction, in fact there was no reason at all for his pause in motion, other than his attention had been drawn to the sofa laying close by.

He edged closer, his form lowering and his head tilting partially as he did so; it was so strange, to be so near, to be so admiring, without having her know.

She moved slightly within her sleep, causing a few strands of her deep brown hair fell forwards and brushed against her pale, smooth cheek.

Automatically the young male reached out to brush the dark locks away, though his fingertips came to an abrupt stop before they'd even come close to achieving their goal, as his mind actually took note of what he was about to do.

He appeared frozen for a moment, though soon relaxed, swiftly drawing himself up, and away, back towards the door.

When he arrived there, he halted once again, though only briefly.

His cold, ice-blue gaze drifted over the young female's form.

_Maybe there is something…_

Rufus grimaced the moment the thought entered his mind, before swiftly turning his attention away, and proceeding through the doorway, shaking his head as he went.

* * *

A/N=

I just watched ACC and it was AWESOME, it looks ever so pretty XD and the etc scenes are just too droll worthy! And lucky for us Rufus fans there's lots of extra President goodness XD

Anyway, onto the chapter…

I know that technically there hasn't been any 'romantic action' between Rufus and Tifa yet, but I just don't think he'd be one to rush into that sort of thing, he wouldn't be one to just kiss someone because he liked them, and he definitely wouldn't admit an attraction so easily, but don't worry, all good things come to those who wait :-)

Oh and I've always loved that moment in FFVII when the Weapon's attack hits Midgar, and that moment with Rufus, because he does just stand there, and watch and I think it's just one of those real 'Rufus' moments, because it's not as though he's 'giving in' to death, but rather standing their, in all his arrogant pride, almost daring the beams to destroy him…


	18. Ch17:Close Encounters and Muted Journeys

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy does not belong to me...however much I may like it to. I own no characters, places etc. etc. so please don't sue me! I'm a nice person :)

Author's Note: Chapter Seventeen...PLEASE review as I really enjoy reading your views and they inspire me to get better! It would make me very very happy! Anyway stop reading this and get on with reading the fic! Hope you enjoy! :)

**Chapter Seventeen: ****Close Encounters and Muted Journeys**

_A warm, orange glow radiated around the room, filling the air with a dense yet bearable heat which made the experience feel altogether rather alien, and yet the space before her was one of incredible familiarity._

_The furniture was the same; the sofa, the bookcase, the coffee table placed so perfectly in line with the television and yet within hands reach of any seated individual, but something was wrong, well maybe not wrong, but 'off' about it, for one thing, her living room had never been surrounded by bars. _

_It was odd; she'd never really been 'conscious' in a dream before; yes she knew it was a dream, there was no doubt in her mind that this was some strange sleep-reality that her subconscious had cooked up for her to enjoy, but she hadn't expected to still feel every forced-upon emotion that dreams so often produced, she'd thought the more aware her condition the more able she'd be to control herself. _

_A chill crawled up her spine, filling her with a kind of icy unease; the sudden cold rush somewhat jarring her from the surrounding heated atmosphere. _

_The bars encircling her living room appeared to thicken, and expand; slowly becoming so closely joined that very little light remained, the darkened orange glow becoming fainter and fainter with every second. _

_The female's skin tingled with a thrilling desperation and yet she made to move to run; where would she go anyway, the room was sealed completely._

_She was trapped. _

_She didn't understand what was going on; had she done something wrong? Was she being punished? Or was it something else entirely. _

_Whatever it was, it was happening quickly; the room now close to being fully consumed by the oncoming darkness._

_The young female took in one, small breath; the air now too dense and too heated to gain much from whatsoever and tried desperately to focus her energies._

_Her finger tips twitched slightly before she felt her entire arm become moveable, the process somewhat likeable to someone slowly testing themselves after recovering from pins and needles or a limb that's fallen asleep. _

_Thought at the exact same moment as her body awakened to an able state, the thick, steel bars came to a complete close; sealing off each and every single source of light._

_She remaining motionless for a few moments, seemingly paralyzed by both fear and shock at her new blackened prison. _

_The space seemed empty now; not that she could see its contents, but it felt different; cold, void of anything that might connect her to home. _

_Suddenly a small, distant tapping began to sound, its echo increasing with every passing second. _

_Her senses strained as they attempted to decipher which direction the sound was coming from through the darkness._

_A rapid chill crawled across her skin as the realisation hit; the tapping was most indistinguishable from the sound of approaching footsteps and the echoes were now clearly reverberating from behind._

_As the tapping sounded closer and closer, her skin seemed to tremble of its own accord, though the steps came to a sudden halt as they reached within a metres distance; the closeness easily estimated by her through her acutely attuned senses which had been the only part of her to have been fully functional since the dream's beginning. _

_A few strands of hair fell forwards as a warmed wisp of air fell against the back of her head, though as it settled around her, the atmosphere was fumed with a provokingly familiar scent which seemed to cling to the air around her with a controlled desire; both frightening and enthralling to her. _

Tifa's crimson-tinted eyes revealed swiftly revealed themselves, along with a light, yet slightly panicked gasp.

Her form quickly relaxed into the cushioned surface of the sofa upon which she was curled.

The room was bathed in a fresh, pale white light; the kind only created during those few hours following dawn, and before the city's inhabitants began to rouse for their morning commute.

She emitted a small groan as she made to rub the back of her hand against her newly awakened eyes.

_Strange dream…_

A slight, warmed tingle prickled around the back of her neck, causing the small downy hairs upon it to stiffen.

The moment passed though, and she swiftly made to put it to the back of her mind for her to digest at some later point; after all she'd had much stranger dreams in the past that she'd yet to figure out, including one involving Yuffie riding a Chocobo with the face of Sephiroth and the hair of Reno.

A silent, yet rather satisfying yawn escaped her lips, though as she went to stretch out her long-tightened limbs she was made to stiffen once again as a familiarly controlled and ever so condescending voice sounded through the air.

"Good morning Miss. Lockhart, finally up I see."

* * *

Tifa quickly straightened herself; making sure to tug her clothes back into place and run a nervous yet soothing hand through her slightly kinked locks.

"Oh…"

Her eyes darted to the floor for a moment before returning to the young male whom sat a few metres away upon one of the more uncomfortable looking armchairs.

"Hello."

Rufus appeared to be casually reading a paper; though it was not one that she'd ever recalled getting through her door.

The female's brow furrowed as her gaze wandered over him; the previous night flooding back to her with a stinging clarity.

Her eyes narrowed accordingly, though the President seemed equally unaware and unmoved by her supposedly piercing display; instead he chose his attention to remain within the thin folds of paper that rustled lightly between his fingers.

She thought about confronting him, though eventually she decided, at least for the moment, to forget about it; there were other more important, more pressing things on her mind at the moment.

Her fingertips curled slightly as she applied a gentle, testing pressure to the sofa's cushioned surface below.

"So when…when can I see Reno?"

Her tone surprised even her, it was true that it was still hard for her to always be to confident around the man that could, quite easily, destroy her completely if he wished, but still, it felt weird having to ask so pitifully, to go see her injured friend.

The young male emitted a somewhat tired sigh, though his icy gaze continued to flicker over the various printed articles.

"If I must I can have my driver pick us up within the hour, but you should get cleaned up first."

He released one side of the paper and waved his now free hand towards the stairs.

"You can use the spare bedroom upstairs; it has an en-suite."

Tifa rose and began moving towards the doorway; not sure whether to be grateful for the offer or insulted, but seeing as the male seemed to be paying no heed to her whatsoever, and the sound of a shower was rather pleasing, she decided that refusal would be somewhat childish, and carried on through to the stairs.

* * *

The soft, white towel hugged tightly to her newly moistened skin; the small beads of water quickly absorbed into the fluffy cotton threads.

Her usually pale, porcelain skin had flushed a warm pink from the prolonged presence in such a heated atmosphere, though as the steam began to clear a slight chill could be felt slowly crawling into the space, causing her skin to form small patches of goose-pimples across her shoulders.

The shower had been refreshing enough, and certainly had helped to clear her mind, though now she was left wishing she had one like that of her own; her bathroom being distinctively disappointing compared to this, and it was even more impressive when she considered it to be only a guest en-suite.

She let out a satisfied sigh as she went to stretch; the towel staying perfectly fixed even with the added movement, before proceeding to place her hands around her dripping hair and squeezing it; the excess water splashing pleasantly against the marbled surface.

Once the process was as complete as she could get it, Tifa twisted the now damp locks and slid in a clip; the item brought with her from her trouser pocket, which now lay in a rather crumpled heap upon the guest bed along with her other garments, though the clip was unable to hold a few of the shorter strands which fell forwards and clung to her reddened cheeks.

As she exited the en-suite and entered the softly carpeted guest room another icy chill swept over her; her skin tingling once again, though all she emitted was a slight shiver; the warmed towel enough to keep her from becoming uncomfortable.

Her brow furrowed slightly as a curious realisation hit; where would see get the bits and bobs to get ready with, like a comb, or a hairdryer. She begun scanning the room, though she hadn't spotted anything like that on the way in, but there was no real reason for him to have any 'feminine' items.

Did he even have women guests that often? It didn't seem likely, though not through the belief that he couldn't if he wanted to; there was no denying he was an attractive male, and the fact he was probably both the richest and most powerful person on the planet certainly did hold some pulling points, but she just didn't see him as the type.

He seemed more to her like the type to admire someone, but then deny any existence of 'feeling' towards her, whilst constantly making her life a living hell and fighting all and any courtesy displayed by the female.

That was more his style.

After her search of the room for a comb and a possible hairdryer turned out fruitless, the young female made to tighten the well-wrapped towel and crept across towards the door, which she proceeded to open so as to create an inch wide gap.

Her crimson-tinted gaze flickered around the landing with a widened exhilaration; the thought of being caught wearing nothing but a towel both incredibly nerve-racking and just that little bit thrilling.

It wasn't exactly something she wanted to do; creeping about inside an unfamiliar house and searching through rooms which she didn't belong felt slightly pathetic and rather embarrassing, though the thought of calling down and asking the young male for help was definitely more so.

When she was meet with nothing but a clear space, she ventured slowly, but surely through the doorway and across the sun-lit landing; the previous paleness melting away within the space of around thirty minutes to a warm, yellowy glow.

As her feet made their way across the space, her heart began to beat painfully in her chest; excitement mixing with the intense fear she still wasn't able to ignore.

Her fingertips curled around a close-by doorknob; the metallic material feeling like ice against her warmed hand, and made to turn it as quietly as possible; not only because of the lack of desire to disturb the male below, but also through the lack of knowledge about the room's contents.

The door glided open with a silent delicacy and revealed a room pristine enough to exceed even the immaculate perfection of downstairs.

The carpet showed very little wear and the curtains were drawn back by thin, threaded strands of ribbon that were tied creating two bows of exact equal proportion, leaving her to wonder how long it took the male to fashion the ties each and every day after revealing his room to the morning-light.

The cabinets lay aligned at a perfect angle with the double bed; the sheets smoothly tucked under, making it look somewhat like a hotel room freshly made, whilst little details in chrome coordinated each piece of furniture to the other.

The atmosphere was particularly clear for such a frequently used room, and although the windows remained shut tight, she could have sworn the air was in constant movement, creating a gentle chill that eradicated any hint of 'stuffiness'.

Her crimson-tinted gaze trailed over every detail; memorising it to a point, whilst also scanning the space for any hints of whose room it was and if any of the cupboards might hold the items she desired.

As the young female ventured further into the room so as to begin a somewhat more 'thorough' search, a small light glinted in the corner of her crimson-tinted gaze.

For a moment she just assumed it was the chrome detailing catching the brighten sun's rays now streamed through the glass panelled window, though as the annoyance continued, Tifa eventually made to draw her attention towards the offending object.

Her gaze met with one of the chest of drawers; the wooden top dotted with various decorative and functional items, including a photo held within a silver frame and an equally beautifully crafted box, its dark wooden embossed with lines of highly polished precious metals.

She edged closer, making sure to take care not to emit any noise that might alert the male downstairs to her presence, whilst her eyes remained fixed upon the box; seemingly mesmerized by the gleaming item.

Soon enough the young female was standing within hands reach, and although ever fibre of her being was trembling with nervous energy, there was also a hint of excitement.

The box itself wasn't exactly hidden, but the items inside were certainly not meant for public view, and whilst she knew that riffling through the male's personal belongings was both immoral and rather dangerous, her sense of curiosity was just too strong.

Her fingertips reached out and tentatively stroked the break line where the lid met with the box's base; her lips parting gently as she did so.

"Just a peek."

The words emerged at nothing more than a whisper, though they had the desired effect and successfully fuelled her wavering mind to take decisive action.

With a firm pressure from her fingers and a slight upward push the lid came away and slide back so as to reveal a silk-lined interior.

The contents appeared to be that of a rather fancy jewellery box; rings with the Shin-Ra logo neatly lined up within velvety restraints, gold embossed bracelets and platinum chain necklaces piled within one another, and two designer watches lay face upon the base, though it was a white-silver ring in particular that caught the young female's attention.

She cautiously reached out and placed it into her grasp so as to have a closer look; the surface cold to the touch and the somewhat aged chain that accompanied it entwined itself perfectly within her fingers.

It seemed plain enough, though it was precisely this that had drawn her eye; after all Rufus Shin-Ra was hardly a man known for his simplicity, and the band's size and delicate design appeared rather different from the kind usually worn by the male.

Her crimson-tinted gaze carried on its inspection of the metal item, and though it appeared plain enough, markings, close to an inscription, could be seen upon the inner band and swiftly focusing her interest.

"What are you doing in my room?"

The female's damp brunette locks whipped through the air with a sharp fluidity and a silent gasp escaped her throat as her lips parted with a dazed nervousness.

The young male stood but a metre from her; his approach undetected through her back having been turned from the door and her concentration centred upon her inspection.

His icy blue gaze was noticeably narrowed, through both suspicion and confusion.

Tifa clutched at her towel protectively, as though believing it might fall off at any moment, even though she knew it was securely fixed around her slender form.

Her bottom lip wavered slightly, and her gaze flickered, though eventually she tried to pull herself together and managed to emit a few words.

"Oh- sorry, I was just looking for-…for some stuff…"

Her toes curled upon the carpet as she struggled to keep her nerves steady; guilt now starting to creep into her system even though she didn't truly believe herself to have wronged him.

Rufus's brow cocked.

"Stuff…?"

His tone had been somewhat sceptical and ever so slightly amused.

He proceeded to eye her carefully, giving noticeable attention to her sparsely covered form, and proceeded to become somewhat fascinated by the clinging strands of damp hair that trailed down her cheeks, before locking his gaze back on to her own with a piercing curiosity.

"So, did you find what you were looking for?"

She smiled inwardly; the amusing realisation sinking in after her previous distraction.

"No actually."

As a brief silence settled between them the male's close proximity became startlingly evident to the young brunette, as the air around her filled with the intoxicating aroma of the President's cologne, her grasp proceeding to tighten upon the towel, even though the corner of her mouth twitched with an almost excited fear.

Though the moment didn't last long as the male's attention drifted over her shoulder to the open box before swiftly falling to her closed palm, through which the aged chain dangled accusingly.

Rufus's eyes narrowed immediately; the icy blue portraying nothing but a cold emotionless command.

"You should get dressed Miss. Lockhart"

He took a step forwards, closing the distance between them within a fraction of a second, and swiftly extended his right arm so it reached over her shoulder and to the box, onto which he slowly replaced its lid, though once his hand had drawn itself back, it made no move to take the item now knowingly held within her grasp; instead remaining mere centimetres from her, as if admiring the effect he'd had.

"The car will be here soon."

* * *

The vehicle's interior vibrated lightly as the outer wheels were forced over unsmooth terrain; slight pits and grained stones each binding together to cause a noticeable interference to their journey, though she had never known such comfort as the young male's driver provided.

The windows were, as before, blacked out, providing the female with nothing but a smoky pane of glass to admire.

Her brow furrowed; one of the small pleasures in life was watching the outside world roll by, the trees blowing in the wind, the rain pelting down upon the hard pavement, the clouds marking their way to the horizon, the buildings, the people, whilst you stayed untouched inside the little metal box, catching only a glimpse before the picture changes once again, like a constantly altering photograph; gone in the blink of an eye, it was somewhat heartbreaking that he would deny himself such s simple, and yet wonderful delight.

Tifa sighed and nestled her head against the blackened leather seat, her hands crossing neatly in her lap, as her mind drifted off; her lids lowering slightly, though not as to sleep, but as a condition that came as she began to replay the morning's events.

He'd stayed there, unmoved, back to her, as she walked from the room; ring still in hand without a word of recognition from the male, as if he was displaying his own complete confidence that she would not take it with her that, out of fear and unknown respect, she would take care to leave it somewhere, and he was right. She left it upon one of the small cupboard tops before her form swiftly exited the room; long-held breath finally releasing itself into the air with a pained relief.

The space was quiet, a gentle hum radiating from the engine and a few small rattles from the soft bumps were all that sounded, as though someone had pressed the mute button; cancelling out any emittances trying to be made by either party.

The young female's brow furrowed once again as she wondered as to why he did not try to make conversation, why he let the silence fall, when so many others would try to fill it so desperately.

Her warm gaze flickered over to the closely seated blonde, whom sat staring at nothing in particular, and yet he appeared to be busily thinking; the calm control he always displayed flawed only by the light furrowing of his brow, and the gentle workings of his fingertips pressing against one another like a mirror image.

A short, swiftly stifled gasp escaped Tifa's soft pink lips as her attention became directed to the small, but noticeably darkened bruise marring the outer-edge of the young male's cheek; his placement in the living-room, and then her nervousness, and the one-sided lighting upstairs presumably having favoured the marking so as to make it undetectable.

She had known the hit had been of some force, but she'd never really intended to leave such evidence upon his visage.

Her fingers began to stroke the edge of the leathered seat anxiously, as her lips made to part.

"Sorry."

Rufus rose a solitary eyebrow; his head tilting slightly though not fully turning towards her.

"Excuse me?"

"About…"

She made a gesture at her own upper cheek, whilst her gaze locked completely onto the male's own mark.

His stared at her for a moment before sighing with indifference and returning his gaze to the unspecific spot upon which is had been placed before.

"I've had worse."

The corner of his mouth curled slightly.

"Though it was the first time I've received a blow from someone such as you."

"Such as me?"

Tifa's brow cocked with the begins of displeasure, already feeling the offence meant by his statement.

The male though, appeared to ignore her knowing query completely, and instead carried on with his own trail of insult, with the calm arrogance that own he could possess.

"It was a rather weak hit."

His brow rose with a hint of mild amusement.

"I was surprised; I'd heard you were once a great martial artist."

Tifa's hands began to rise in riled defence, though her tone was rather suppressed.

"I was-I am. I'm just…out of practice."

A small huff-like chuckle sounded from the young male.

"Clearly... You were quick, I'll give you that, but it was just rather sloppy."

The brunette scowled and let out an increasingly aggravated sigh.

"That's because I was lashing out, I wasn't controlled!"

The President's brow rose knowingly.

"Letting you're emotions get the better of you."

She emitted another sigh, though this one was quiet, and almost self-disapproving.

"Something like that."

Once again Rufus appeared to either ignore or not notice her reaction.

"I'd have thought you'd have kept yourself trained, after all you are a terrorist."

"Was…"

Her brow furrowed, her expression hinting at confusion, and yet she knew she had not misheard.

"…_**was**_ a terrorist."

Her fingers tightened their pressure upon the seat's edges; she hated saying that word, but she did not want to argue the point with him, or anyone, that part of her life was in the past, and that's where she wished it to stay.

Rufus on the other hand seemed rather keen on keeping it the main subject of conversation.

"Well, I'm sure you wouldn't turn down the offer to start up that little group again."

The female kept her crimson-tinted gaze locked upon the smoked window.

"What would be the point? Midgar's gone, the reactors, everything we were fighting against."

He huffed with a kind of dry amusement.

"I'm sure you'd find a reason."

Tifa's face contorted, and a disbelieving smile swiftly formed.

"Do you really think I could do that again?"

She gazed at him for a few moments with wide eyes, unsure of whether or not to continue, but after his own earnest detailing the previous evening, the least she could do was to give him her own explanation, even if it pained her.

Her gaze lowered to the vehicles darkened floor.

"Rebellion…fighting like that."

Her fingers clasped together; their nervous fidgeting halted instantly.

"All those innocent lives I took…even when I knew what would happen…it didn't seem to matter."

She bowed her head before making a somewhat self-agreeing nod.

"I've learnt my lesson…I've killed, I've fought, and I've grown out of it…"

Her warm shaded eyes seemed to blur; her vision no longer focusing upon a particular spot, as if her concentration was now on an image playing in her mind rather than in front of her.

"My own beliefs, my feelings, my anger…it isn't worth it…it isn't worth the loss."

The male's brow furrowed, and for a moment, he appeared to be considering her, though after only a short while, he emitted a rather unimpressed huff, and swiftly removed his attention.

"Just don't go repeating yourself. I might not be so forgiving the second time."

Tifa's rose her brow, and sighed; the escaping breath so quiet it was unnoticeable.

How different he had been that previous evening, those last few moments of conversation; so calm, so real, and yet now, it was like none of it had matter. Nothing had changed.

She made to view him once again, a slight air of concern hinting about her expression.

"Are you feeling better today?"

Rufus's ice-blue gaze narrowed questioningly, whilst the female's lips wavered slightly as she tried to explain without appearing nervous; somewhat uncertain if the subject issue was still open.

"Last night…you said the Diamond Weapon-''

"I'm perfectly well ."

He response had been both sudden and brief, and if it hadn't been for the softness of his tone she would have thought he had snapped at her.

A few moments passed in silence before the young male made to speak once again.

"When we get there you'll have an hour."

* * *

A/N= Yo! Sorry it took me so long to update this…once again I've been buried in a mass of work and stuff I've had to sort out over the past few weeks, but don't worry because my other chaptered fic is coming to an end, so I'll be able to update this one a lot quicker XD

Anyway onto the chapter!

The dream wasn't suppose to make much sense; most dreams don't after all, I mean a few bits are related to the obvious; Rufus, but there were some other aspects I put in there to coincide with some upcoming details and to do with the some of the emotions Tifa may be beginning to experience.

I know this chapter doesn't have a lot of interaction/dialogue between Tifa and Rufus but I thought there should be a little break, plus I thought it might build a little tension for the next time.

This update was rather Tifa focused, but that's mainly because I've either been giving a lot of attention to the 'action' between the two, or choosing to narrate Rufus's pov over hers (not always, but more so than not)

Although this was a rather description/thought centred chapter I did try really hard to keep some sort of tension and interest; seeing as we didn't get to see a whole lot from Rufus.

Oh and hopefully, they'll be a bit more on the Reno issue in the next chapter XD I feel like I've been neglecting him (which is an easy thing to do when he's in the state he is) but they will be at the hospital so he'll get some attention, but don't worry Rufus will still be our main male focus XD


	19. Ch18: Lonely Rooms Empty Conversations

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy does not belong to me...however much I may like it to. I own no characters, places etc. etc. so please don't sue me! I'm a nice person :)

Author's Note: Chapter Eighteen...PLEASE review as I really enjoy reading your views and they inspire me to get better! It would make me very very happy! Anyway stop reading this and get on with reading the fic! Hope you enjoy! :)

**Chapter Eighteen: Lonely Rooms and Empty Conversations **

The small metallic machine beside the bed beeped away with a surreal kind of brightness; although its purpose was indeed 'beneficial', its surroundings and its ultimate reason for being there was not, in any way, pleasant.

She wasn't used to this environment. In all her time as a member of AVALANCHE, not once had she been made to enter a hospital; when they were injured they fixed themselves, or allowed themselves to die, simple.

It was strange to her, though not unwelcoming in some respects. Everything was clean, decorated 'nicely', the rooms were well lit and the people there were safe, but still that did not stop it from feeling cold; though not in terms of temperature.

So many people were chosen to be born there and the majority of them would also end there, within those same walls. It amused her that a place where people spent such significant moments would feel so emotionless, almost as if it had been drained, and all that was left was a pale, hollow shell.

What was she even doing there?

She had been too shocked the first time she'd been led into that bleak room to really think about anything.

It wasn't the fact that he was injured that shocked her; she was fully aware of what his job entailed and the dangers he might encounter, but rather just how lifeless he was.

He was one of the loudest, most confident, flirtatious, cheeky, and ultimately rebellious; the last aspect always puzzling the female, with his choice of such a strict profession.

The silence now surrounding him seemed so bizarre; it didn't feel like Reno anymore.

His body was still; the only movement being the steady rise and fall of his chest, as the life support created a consistent supply of oxygen to his debilitated internal frame.

The young brunette edged further into the room; her gaze narrowing slightly as she came close enough to focus clearly upon his facial contours.

He didn't look like he'd been beaten, not really; a few reddened scratches and a flush of purple bruising was all that marred his appearance.

Part of her couldn't understand why he could be so ill, and yet look as if he'd just drunk a little too much and was now in a bit of a comatose state; his body refuelling as 'sleep' took over his senses.

As she lowered herself into the seat beside Reno's bed, the young male nurse who she had assumed had been checking on the Turk, made to leave, and as he pulled the door open, she sneaked a brief glance at the outer corridor; a blonde, pale blur signifying Rufus was still present.

Tifa facial contours softened briefly, as her mind wondered.

_I wonder if he'll wait for me like last time…_

* * *

Her fingertips brushed against the hard metallic arm of the chair; the cold surface gliding smoothly upon her skin with a numbing iciness.

Part of her couldn't help but think Reno's unconscious state was something of a blessing, for him at least; he'd rather be in a coma than awake and immobile in such a dreary environment.

The sight of him so helpless seemed somewhat pathetic to her and she knew he would hate for anyone to see him in such a way.

Once upon a time the very idea of a Turk being 'disabled' had been somewhat unheard of, but then AVALANCHE formed, and Sephiroth rose, and everything became so much more dangerous, but so many years had pasted since his defeat and Midgar's destruction that Tifa had thought his work might have decreased somewhat, or at least become safer.

After spending a few moments studying the Turk's pale form, Tifa edged her seat closer to him; emitting a soft sort of grunt as she repositioned herself upon the chair, with its shape and material making it really quite uncomfortable.

Almost instinctively, the young female out stretched her arm and began brushing her fingertips over a few of his flame red strands.

For some reason she felt a strong desire to comfort him, even though she knew there was nothing she could do.

His complexion was ashen almost, his lips dry, and his once sparkling aquamarine eyes hidden.

She sighed thoughtfully as her gaze rolled over his still features.

"I wish I knew what had happened to you…"

Her brow cocked as she continued to stroke the side of his face; a few locks of red hair tickling her hand as she did so.

" …or rather _**how **_it happened."

Tifa's hand ran down from his cheek, to his shoulders, to his side; her features contorting as her fingertips came into contact with the sheet covering him.

The material was stiff, and yet almost prickly, and she found it hard to fathom how anyone could stand it against their skin.

Her attention diverted as her gaze roamed over to his left hand that lay rested by his side.

A thin, hollow tube had been attached to the young Turk's wrist, running from him, over to a drip beside the machine which Tifa had mentally labelled 'the beeper'.

She emitted another sigh, though this time its tone was closer to exasperation.

_But then…maybe I'd rather not know…_

"Not that you'd tell me anyway."

A small smile tugged at the corner of her pale pink lips.

"It's strange…having a conversation with you were you actually listen."

The room soon echoed lightly with a soft laughter, though the female swiftly sealed her lips once again; the realisation of what she was doing, and the fact that she was doing it all by herself being both embarrassing and discomforting.

A hushed calm settled down upon the room, with the heightened beeping from the hospital equipment the only sound breaking through the silence.

She propped up her arm upon the unused side of the bed's mattress and rested the side of her head against the palm of her hand, her crimson-tinted gaze unmoving, almost dreamy, though she did not feel tired.

For a few moments she stayed like that; still, watching, thoughtful, though in truth she wasn't sure what she was actually meant to be thinking about.

Eventually she allowed her lids to close tightly over her dry eyes and remain as such whilst her voice sounded softly, and ever so slightly unsurely from her lips.

"I don't even know if you can hear me..."

Tifa features furrowed lightly.

"I mean, I've heard that people in your…condition, can sense things…you know, pick up on words…phrases. Kinda like when people listen to those tapes while they sleep to help them quit smoking…"

Her head tilted back as she ran her outspread fingers through her brunette locks; self-frustration evident in the groan that sounded from her throat.

_This feels so stupid…_

It hadn't felt so ridiculous the last time, but then she had been so overcome with emotion that she hardly had the sense to think about what she was doing, or seeing.

Her eyes snapped open as her body lunged itself forward so she was merely tittering upon the chair's edge; her chin nestled within her cupped hands.

"Why do you have to be so reckless?"

Her brow rose of its own accord.

_Ok, that was unfair…_

Tifa rubbed her forehead as she emitted a long, deep sigh, before quickly proceeding to rise from the young Turk's bedside and begin to pace the room without purpose.

After circling a few times, her feet found themselves directed towards the large panelled window which practically covered the entire wall, with only the door at its left to accompany it.

As the female's body leant against the small slither of untouched wall separating the door from the window, she allowed her hand to slide underneath the blind that was currently shielding the room from any natural light and lift it ever so slightly in order to view the corridor outside.

Her crimson tinted gaze flickered over the pale space; the blonde male was, like herself, leantagainst one of the windows, his back to her and yet his face tilted just enough as to allow the female to observe him clearly.

The President was still, in fact he was near to being even stiller than the unconscious Reno; his eyes were the only factor that gave him away with their icy blue centre's darting gracefully.

She couldn't fathom what he could possibly be thinking about; she didn't see him as the type who would play out weird or funny scenarios in his head or think about stupid, infantile things like what he was going to have for dinner or what he would wear tomorrow.

She wondered if he was just admiring his kingdom; true it wasn't exactly his, not in the same way it once was, but no-one could deny, not really, that Shin-Ra was still a power to be reckoned with.

Even with its near-destruction, its sources depletion, and its people's resistance to accept them once again, though in truth they'd never willingly accepted them, Shin-Ra had somehow managed to survive.

Tifa had thought, for a time, that Rufus had indeed died in the WEAPON attack, after all he quite literally disappeared from the face of Gaia, and part of her had hoped that his company would be buried with him and in time it would become nothing more than legend, but then she was used to things, long thought gone, making a sudden and rather undesired reappearance.

It was hard to decipher his true intentions for Edge, and indeed, the rest of the planet, but although he still appeared to be the same arrogant, conceited, power-hungry man she'd known so many years before, there now seemed something more, something added. A conscience maybe? Whatever it was, she felt he now understood the consequences that could unfold with his actions.

Her hand slid back from the blind as she slumped down the wall; her body soon arriving at the floor with a dull plonk.

Her warm gaze lazily rolled over the room in a disheartened silence.

The room was so empty; no cards, flowers, bunches of grapes that, of course, would be pointless. There were no hints of attention or care other than that of the nurses and doctors.

_Maybe I should have brought something…_

The female's head tilted further back towards the wall; her pale neck now exposed.

_I wonder if anyone else visits him like this…_

Her brow furrowed in thought; Rude seemed plausible enough, in fact he seemed more than plausible.

The bald Turk probably knew the red head better than anyone else; they'd been co-workers for so long, and their partnership was something of an icon around Shin-Ra. They were always together; she couldn't understand what possible reason he could give for abandoning him now.

She wasn't sure about Tseng, or Elena, she'd hardly seen either of them since the incident with the remnants, but from the little that Reno had revealed to her, both had become more than a little detached.

After sitting for a few minutes upon the cold floor, Tifamade her way back to the Turk's bedside; intentionally scuffing the soles of her shoes upon the tiled floor as she went, causing a series of slight and rather unimpressive squeaks that she was sure would amuse the red head if he'd been in a state to enjoy them.

She began picking subconsciously at his sheet.

"If-_**when **_you get better we should go out somewhere…"

Her lips parted as a warm, slightly embarrassed smile took hold.

"I miss hanging out with you."

She'd grown so much closer to Reno over the past year, and she now counted him as a good friend; his past, although less than desirable, had been buried along with Midgar, and whilst it had taken the female a long time to get used to the idea of even having him around her, the Turk had managed to grow on her until she couldn't imagine him ever being anything other than a friend.

Tifa's brow began to furrow as her thoughts deepened as she realised just how little she had seen of him before he came to be in his current state.

There hadn't been time enough lately or rather, she hadn't made enough time.

She'd felt bad about it, but then it had always managed to get pushed to the back of her mind, with her other responsibilities always taking priority over anyone else.

A few glistening beads of salted fluid trickled down her cheek.

"Why can't you just wake up!"

It wasn't just Reno's absence from her life that was upsetting her, but the President's sudden intrusion into her life.

Everything had suddenly become so difficult, from a small confrontation in her bar, to her staying at his house.

She wasn't even sure what she was so confused about, or why her nerves seemed to take over every time she had to speak to him. Rufus did something to her, and she couldn't explain it.

She features contorted in uncertainty as she looked down at Reno.

_I don't even know if you __**could**__ help me…_

At first the play between her and the blonde had appeared somewhat amusing in the young Turk's eyes, though there were moments where his attitude had strayed closer to apprehension and the tension between them had become clearer over the past few weeks.

She almost felt angry at Reno for leaving there like this; she didn't know how to deal with Rufus, or what she was feeling, and now she had no-one there to guide her.

She wondered if it meant anything, if Reno's worries were founded or if he was just looking out for her, she wondered if this new interestin her by the male was going to become a permanent thing, or if it was purely for kicks and soon enough everything would be back to normal, and then she wondered if it was connected, Reno's 'accident' and this new 'relationship'; the idea didn't bear thinking about.

_It's not my fault…_

"Is it Reno?"

Her eyes, although focused upon the lifeless red head, seemed to glaze over as her tone softened.

"Is this my fault?"

* * *

The hour had ticked by unbearably slowly, and yet she still felt she should remain there.

As she rose from the young male's bedside her lips made to part, though her brow furrowed when no words emerged.

_What's the point? He can't hear me…_

She emitted a short 'huff' as her head shook with a mixture of self frustration and embarrassment; she couldn't help but feel her presence there was rather pointless.

The bottom of her coat whipped through the air as she made a swift turn and headed towards the door.

Her crimson-tinted gaze lay focused upon the polished tiled floor as she exited the room, though when the pale sunlight dazzled through the large corridor window she made to squint, before taking a few moments to adjust her vision to accommodate.

Once she had regained her sight comfortably, the young brunette began to scan the corridor for some familiar form, though as her gaze drifted over the pristine space she became very aware of just how alone she actually was.

Rufus wasn't there. In fact, there wasn't anyone there. No guards, no Turks. No driver or Shin-Ra employee waiting to direct her from the building.

She couldn't understand it.

The previous day he had been so unrelenting; it had made her feel as though she was visiting a high-security prisoner, but now it appeared they had deserted her completely.

Her stomach churned with an uncomfortable tension as her eyes flickered with confusion around the long stretch of white-shaded space.

What was she meant to do now?

Once upon a time she would have been more than intrigued by the possibility of wandering around a Shin-Ra hospital alone, but of course, those days had long faded, and now it just unnerved her.

The female gave a sharp jump coupled with a silent gasp as a dull thud sounded from one of the far doors, though she soon emitted a sigh of relief as a rather harmless looking janitor back through with what looked like a cleaning trolley.

As her gaze rolled over the unknown male a small, satisfied smile worked its way onto her lips, and within moments she was making her way, swiftly, towards the approaching worker.

"Excuse me!"

* * *

The soles of Tifa's shoes clacked rhythmically upon the light blue, speckled flooring that coated the stairways which descended precisely in short, but closely spaced segments.

She'd been rather surprised by just how informative the janitor had been; she'd expected him to either shrug in confusion, or give her some vague details to the reception area, but instead she'd received something of a directed guide to the President's exact location.

The various corridors and floors were surprisingly empty for a so called 'high-security' Shin-Ra facility, and although the occasional nurse, or patient passed her way, she still found herself wishing that there were more occupants; the lack of human presence and relieving sound swiftly becoming somewhat disconcerting.

As she arrived at the bottom of another set of pristine steps, she quickly observed the floor number painted stylishly upon the wall next to two large, double doors; there makeup consisting mostly to highly polished glass rather than the more commonly used wood.

After spending a moment loitering outside, she carefully pushed her way through; a few of her brunette strands rippled against her skin as the rush of air created by the disturbance in the atmosphere by the doors pressured opening.

She had only walked a few metres when her feet came to a halt, and her eyes widened in a gentle surprise.

There in the middle of the corridor; which was wider than the others she'd made her way through, was a familiar male.

His back was to her, though she recognised him instantly from his silver-blonde locks coupled with the stylish pale suit that only he could pull off.

He appeared to be immersed in conversation with someone that Tifa assumed worked for Shin-Ra, though she had never seen him before.

The somewhat Turk-like male to whom he was speaking made a small, but noticeable glance towards her; alerting the President quietly of her presence.

As he turned to view her, Rufus's brow rose ever so slightly; almost in slight surprise, and yet she was certain she saw a flicker of guilt, though she was unsure as to its purpose.

He only observed her for a moment, before the President turned back towards the unknown male and muttered something; to which the supposed Shin-Ra employee nodded before promptly departing in the opposite direction to the door through which Tifa had just entered.

Tifa's brow furrowed as she approached him; the distance between them, although short, was still considerable enough to make her unsure of just how much should be kept.

Rufus didn't seem to notice the nervous display, and instead displayed a small, rather non-existent smile.

"I apologise, I had business to attend to."

The female's brow rose ever so slightly; the fact that he had just willingly apologised, and actually seemed sincere about it was rather unsettlingly, though not unpleasant.

She shrugged before displaying a small, somewhat uncertain smile.

"That's ok."

He allowed his gaze to roll over her form, though his mind appeared to be somewhere else.

After a moment he took a swift but deep breath before flicking a few silver-blonde strands from his icy gaze.

"I assume you want to keep doing this?"

"Huh?"

His facial muscles tighten as he spoke; the last word seemingly possessing a certain 'bite'.

"Visiting the Turk."

"Oh."

She shrugged once again.

"Yes I suppose."

_Suppose?_

Her brow fell slightly as deliberated her own words.

It wasn't that she didn't want to see him; far from it, but she was beginning to feel that the time she spent there was rather unproductive.

He couldn't move, or talk, she didn't even believe he could hear her, not really.

Besides, seeing him like that was not pleasant for her, and it didn't look like they'd be any change in his condition anytime soon.

Rufus's brow furrowed as he observed her somewhat hesitant expression.

After a few moments of silence he continued.

"Ok well, as you staying at my house will neither be suitable for me, or pleasant for you-"

The brunette cocked her brow as he spoke; his choice of words felt strange to her, would it not be unpleasant for him as well?

"I think it would be best for us to arrange a pass for you to use. It looks like he shall be here for quite some time, and I can't continue to chaperone you."

"Ok."

Her tone was indifferent as the last.

"What about…how to get here?"

"I'll make sure there's a driver for you to contact; I'll give you the details when we get to Shin-Ra Headquarters."

The female's brow furrowed.

"Headquarters?"

"Yes, I think it's best to get this sorted out as quickly as possible; you've already taken up enough of my time."

Tifa's raised an eyebrow.

_Well that was to be expected…_

As she viewed him with disdain, the young male reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a slim, black mobile.

Within moments he'd dialled his wanted number and had it held up to his ear; only muttering a few words into the receiver before snapping it shut and replacing in within his suit.

He began walking further towards the brunette, and once he'd proceeded past her, he made to turn his head slightly to the side; calling back to her.

"Come on then, let's get this over with."

* * *

A/N=

Sorry for how long this took me to get out! I've been super busy…again! I've been telling my friend for about a year now that I'd buy and watch her favourite program, so I finally got off my arse and ordered it, so I've been working my way through 4 seasons and it's had me pretty hooked XD so really the blame for this late update lies with my friend and the programs makers…

And then I got Kingdom Hearts so I had to play that XD And I'm halfway through replaying FFX so…I reeeeaaallllyyy can't be blamed for being distracted.

Hopefully the next chapter will be out a bit sooner, as I've already planned most of it, and I don't have my RenoxTifa fic to update and I'm sorry if this chapter seemed a little short, but the next one should be longer XD

Anyway onto the chapter!

So I gave some time for Reno and Tifa in this update, because I thought we needed some insight into how she was feeling at the moment, and how she felt about what had happened to Reno. True, he technically wasn't very 'involved' but still, he was there.

I know there's not a whole lot of RufusxTifa action in this…again, but there will be some more next chapter XD In fact it should be nearly all RufusxTifa interaction XD which is always good.

I'm not sure how long I'll keep this fic going for, or whether, once its done, I'll start on a sequel, or maybe start another RufusxTifa fic…the possibilities are endless.

Oh and if any of you have anything you might like me to include; clothing, conversations about certain things, little interactions or items, just leavea note in your review or give me a bell with ye olde PM. If it's good, and fits well it'll make an appearance!


	20. Ch19: More Meetings and Almost Kisses

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy does not belong to me...however much I may like it to. I own no characters, places etc. etc. so please don't sue me! I'm a nice person :)

Author's Note: Chapter Nineteen...PLEASE review as I really enjoy reading your views and they inspire me to get better! It would make me very very happy! Anyway stop reading this and get on with reading the fic! Hope you enjoy! :)

**Chapter Nineteen: More Meetings and Almost Kisses **

The brunette paced across the pale beige carpet with a dulled softness; the whole room being somehow cloaked in a quiet calm which could only be described as being close to a dentist's waiting room, without the nervous children and humming televisions that were always displaying some muted marine life.

A tired yawn wisped through her lips.

Rufus had left her outside his office how for at least ten minutes, whilst he supposedly sorted out a few things; papers and the like which she apparently had to sign, though surprisingly, she found herself not all that bothered by the wait.

It may have been slightly boring, but the place was comfortable enough, and a lot better them some of the places she'd been contained under the President's order, though in all fairness this something rather different with the fact being that it hadn't come from an order as such, but rather a request.

As she continued her pacing she began inspecting the 'reception' room; it felt emptier than she recalled, as if something was missing, something she'd noticed so clearly before and yet she was certain all of the plants and paintings were still present.

Her brow furrowed.

The light glassy desk which sat in the middle of the room had been unoccupied since Tifa had arrived, though it was only that she was beginning to realise it.

With all that had been going on she'd almost forgotten about the young secretary.

As she stared at the void behind the piece of furniture her stomach clenched tightly.

_I hope she's ok… _

Rufus wouldn't hurt her, she was _almost _certain of that, but a small matter like sacking someone was a completely valid assumption, but then she would have thought he'd have employed someone else by now rather than leave the position empty; after all he was hardly accustomed to waiting on himself.

Just as she drifted back across the stretch of carpet, a small, soft ringing began sounding from the phone upon the receptionist's desk.

Her head immediately swung round so as to direct her attention, though before she could even start deliberating whether she was expected to answer it, a high-pitched 'ding' echoed around the room and the elevator doors slide open with a familiar mousey-haired female hurrying out soon after; a large sum of paper's tightly clutched within her fingers.

The female's attention was quickly caught by the ringing phone; her senses hardly having time to even notice the other presence in the room.

"Hello?"

The secretary emitted a deep sigh of frustration and began mumbling as she placed the receiver back on its base.

"Honestly…he can't expect me do to two things at once…couldn't they just hold on for another minute…so impatient-"

Tifa approached the desk with a wide, honestly relieved smile forming upon her pale pink lips.

"Jane?"

The female dropped the paper's she was beginning to sort as her body reacted in a nervous surprise.

The brunette's face clenched as a red hue brushed the upper heights of her cheeks.

"Oops…"

* * *

The young male flicked a few of his blonde strands from his eyes as he walked over to his desk.

The air was pleasantly warm, the kind of atmosphere that could only be created unnaturally with a combination of both heaters and cooling fans, though their was no doubting their ability to keep this little fact silent and unnoticed.

As he lowered himself down into the leather-coated chair behind his desk, the material emitted a slow, deep rustle that felt strangely satisfying; it had been too long since he had last been there.

A few minutes passed in silence within which he outstretched a finger and gently pushed a pile of folders, so as to align them perfectly with the edge of the polished wooden desk top.

A small, but genuine smile of contentment twitched at his lips; this was his personal space, his kingdom, the place where he made and sealed the most important moments of his life.

His brow lowered though as his icy gaze drifted over to the far side of the room before coming to rest on the door opposite him.

She was waiting out there for him, and soon enough she would be there with him.

He'd always liked space, but now, he wasn't sure why, but being separated from her, just by this shortest of distances, felt curiously disconcerting.

He had, for a moment, wondered what it might have been like if he had allowed her to stay with him whilst the Turk remained in his current condition, but only for moment.

* * *

Tifa's brunette locks fell against her face as she bent down to pick up the fallen papers which had spread over the floor at a length and unseen swiftness that was likeable to that of a wild bush fire.

The other female had also joined her on the floor and was busily tidying whilst also emitting nervous apologies that seemed directed at both the papers and the brunette.

Eventually the pair finished and the carpet was clear once again.

Tifa giggled with a dull apprehension as she placed her collected pile back onto the reception desk.

"Sorry about that…I didn't mean to startle you."

Jane's heightened pitch was breathy from both nerves and a degree of excitement.

"No, no it's fine! I was off in my own little world...I should of noticed."

A small smile of appreciation formed upon Tifa's lips.

"Rufus got you running errands again?"

"Actually I think these papers are for you."

The brunette's face contorted with a comic sort of confusion.

"Huh?"

Jane's eyes widened slightly as she stumbled over her words; seemingly uneasy at relaying something she was unsure of.

"Well I was ordered to get them just before you arrived."

"Oh…"

The brunette's brow lowered in an uneasy trepidation.

"Am I gunna have to read all of those?"

Jane shrugged though Tifa was seemingly talking to herself than to the young secretary.

After a brief but calm silence, the mousey-haired woman scuttled back behind her desk and grouped her own collected papers with the others already placed there, before beginning to order them correctly.

"How's Reno doing?"

Tifa inhaled deeply; her crimson-tinted gaze drifting down to the carpet.

"He's…alright."

A moment passed before she muttered quietly, but poignantly.

"I just can't help but feel this whole thing is my fault."

Jane's brow shot up in a pleading desperation.

"No, no! It's no-one's fault…it was just an accident, it happens." "Turks get into all sorts of trouble…just be thankful it wasn't worse."

"Hm."

Silence settled around the pair as Jane continued working her way through the pile, whilst the brunette fiddled hypnotically with a pen she'd taken from a holder on the desk.

After a while she returned it to its home and allowed her curious gaze to flicker back towards the secretary.

"Are you still staying at his?"

It only took a moment for her to realise what Tifa meant.

"Uh huh. I thought I'd take care of it…until he gets better."

The secretary's gaze locked onto hers.

"And he will get better Tifa."

_I do hope so…_

The brunette sighed lightly and ran a hand through her smooth, dark locks.

"So…are you enjoying being back?"

Jane allowed a smile of unconvinced amusement to grace her face.

"Well the work loads hard, and the President's taken off all my holiday time for the rest of the year because he feels my house arrest should count as time off…but yeah…strange as it is…I actually missed this place."

For some reason, this surprised the young brunette; she couldn't believe anyone would really miss working somewhere like this, but then there was much she didn't understand concerning Shinra.

"I'm glad Rufus didn't punish you."

Her brow furrowed once again, as she mulled over exactly what she had done over the past few weeks.

"I shouldn't have asked for your help…I could have gotten you into real trouble."

She crossed her arms as her gaze narrowed thoughtfully.

"Why do you think he's so intent to guard himself like he does?"

The secretary just shrugged; her features neither unsettled or relaxed.

"He has his reasons…just like everyone else."

"I suppose."

* * *

The female entered the room as quietly as she could; fingering the door handle carefully so as to mute the click it emitted as it became unlatched, before treading softly over the threshold.

It wasn't that she was worried, or scared of entering, but rather she felt uncomfortable with drawing the President's attention so directly to herself; his gaze affected her in a way she couldn't yet explain.

It took her a few moments for her crimson-tinted eyes to find him; Rufus was standing by the window, his back to her and his body really quite still, with his attention cast over the scene laid out before him.

She allowed herself to observe him for some time. From what she could decipher from his calm stance, and quiet performance he was musing over something, though her assumption that she'd been undetected soon dissolved as his confident, charismatic tone sounded.

"Take a seat."

Her eye widened slightly from shock at the sudden emittance, though she soon recovered and made her to the leather-coated chair in front of the desk, before seating herself, though she still found herself fidgeting awkwardly.

A moment or two passed before the male paced back to his desk in silence, before lowering himself down onto the well-crafted chair; his suit jacket flurrying as he positioned himself.

Tifa's lips curled slightly; the movement reminded her of something often occurring in some old-fashioned drama, though she rather strangely found it something of an attraction, in a charming sort of way.

He begun flicking through papers which had been delivered to him just before she'd entered; both Tifa's and the secretary's suspicions being clearly confirmed when Rufus had ordered them in before the brunette.

He emitted a small, throat-clearing cough.

"Shall we begin?"

Tifa just nodded slowly. It was strange how comfortable and almost ordinary it felt for her to be there with him; spending time in his company was becoming somewhat second nature to her now.

As he scribed something down upon one of the pieces of paper, her gaze drifted over him with a soft curiosity.

"What is it that you want from me exactly?"

He emitted a lingering, almost nonchalant sigh.

"Well there's some security papers I'll need you to sign, and I'll need to go over some of the-"

"No I mean…_what do you want from me_?..."

Rufus allowed her question to linger, before lowering his brow, almost with a hint of amusement.

"I'm not sure that I understand you Miss. Lockhart."

Her own brow furrowed; she wasn't that sure herself, but she was certain that he already knew the answer.

The President plainly revealed this to her with his swift avoidance of it altogether, as he flickered his icy gaze back towards the desk.

"Now, shall we continue?"

He turned two papers to face her upon the desk, and slid the pen towards her.

"I'll need your signature here."

Her fingers crept towards the pen as she read over the various sums of information and instructs printed all over the paper explaining agreements from her not to disclose certain things involving the hospital location, among other things.

As her fingertips wrapped around the small metallic object her attention became drawn to the heat still lingering on its surface; the male's own handling leaving part of his own warmth behind.

"What were you doing in my bedroom?"

The unexpected inquiry jarred the brunette, and her crimson-hinted gaze flickered nervously over the desk; all the time keeping from the general direct of the male's own ice-blue gaze.

"I told you…I was just looking for some-"

"Stuff."

He raised one of his eyebrows, this time with a defiant sense of mockery and allowed his lip to curl.

"Yes I recall your rather…unimpressive explanation."

Tifa's eyes narrowed at the snide air surrounding his comment.

_It wasn't that bad…really…_

"So you felt you had to go snooping around in my personal items did you?"

Her brow furrowed, and her tone lowered in volume.

"I wasn't snooping…"

"Oh really, so what would you call it?"

"I…I don't know."

Rufus's brow cocked.

"Hm."

Silence settled between the pair, as the President began preparing another form for the brunette to sign, though she seemed less happy to drop the topic entirely; the brief conversation bringing up something of a curiosity involving her 'snooping'.

"Whose was it?"

The male sighed in a kind of exasperation, and clasped his hand upon the polished surface of the desk.

"Whose was what?"

"The ring."

He considered her for a moment before his icy blue gaze narrowed with a controlled intensity.

"I don't see how that is any of your business…"

She looked deflated; it wasn't so much that she had expected a detailed or even honest answer, but still, his complete refusal was somewhat disappointing.

A few minutes passed with Rufus reading through the forms upon his desk, before sliding them over to the female to sign, whilst retrieving the ones she'd already marked.

As she scribbled her signature down once again, something rather unexpected happened.

"…it was my fathers."

She carried the pen's movement; what was she supposed to say to that? She had never expected something so sincere. Her brow began to furrow as she mulled the answer over, though the silence caused the male to flicker his gaze towards her with a kind of irritated curiosity.

"What?"

She kept her gaze fixated upon the paper as she searched for an equally truthful answer.

"It's just a bit…sentimental."

"I hardly see how."

She paused as she deliberated the matter with herself.

"Well for someone like you…especially when everyone knows what your relationship was like. You were only ever interested in the power and if Sephiroth hadn't killed him, you'd have been first in line to finish the job."

She had said it so lightly and with such a simple air that for a moment it felt like some surreal daydream, the kind you might see in some comedy show, though the reality of the situation was unmistakable.

Rufus didn't say a word; he didn't need to. He seemed frozen, his piercing eyes set directed at her, unwavering, and seemingly colder than ever; almost as if he was trying to restrain himself.

Her stomach clenched uncomfortably. What was she suppose to say now? She hadn't quite realised that his father might have been something of a sensitive subject, though when she thought about it, how could she not have known? All she had come to understand about the Shinra family was from rumours, gossip, second hand information, and at the time she'd been happy to believe it, and pass judgement.

_I don't know anything about him…not really. _

"I'm sorry."

Her apology was neither recognised nor commented on, but the President did avert his gaze, though there was still a hint of contemplation in his expression as he collected up the two papers she had finished marking.

"There was an inscription on the ring."

Rufus's brow raised; he appeared interested, almost curious at this new admission and yet somehow also apprehensive.

"Did you read it?"

"No…I got interrupted."

Tifa smiled weakly, before hurriedly casting his gaze around the room; the silence airing between them was unbearable. She wasn't even sure why she'd smiled in the first place, it wasn't even funny!

He did at least do her some kindness and ignored her for the moment, though that almost seemed all the more frustrating; now she was left to ponder the last few minutes over and over again in her head, each time the moment becoming even more agonizing.

Eventually she was put out of her misery, as he slid over some more papers.

She fingered them briefly before arching her brow and emitting a small, weary huff.

"Isn't this all a bit…unnecessary?"

"You are the one who insists on visiting him."

She sighed.

"Well I suppose it'll be worth it."

Rufus's brow cocked with a hint of superior awareness.

"Suppose?"

A smirk crept across his lips.

"If you didn't want to visit the Turk you should have just said…you don't need to put on some _compassionate_ façade just to prove some point."

Tifa's brow shot up in defence.

"I do care!"

Her brow twitched angrily as she studied him for a few lingering moments.

"You must be such a lonely man."

A more than uncomfortable silence fell down around the seated pair; the brunette appeared to be in shock at her own emittance, and for a moment, Rufus seemed to be in a state of disbelief too.

Tifa's crimson-tinted eyes began to gleam with their prolonged widening.

Rufus drew in a deep, slow breath; the motion expressing a kind of boredom.

"People are only lonely when they _allow_ themselves to be so. I don't need people to _fill _my life with…I find they just seem to get in the way."

The female huffed cynically; that wasn't what she'd call a satisfying response, he didn't seem to disagree completely with the statement, and yet neither did he seem to support it, though she decided for the moment not to push the matter.

As she observed him marking his own signature, she noticed a small tinge in his shoulder; his facial contours contorting as he continued the movement. The minute detail caused her mind to almost instantly flash back to the previous evening.

He looked healthy enough, some might have said he looked in peak condition for someone who had suffered not only a WEAPON attack, but Geostigma too, and yet now that Tifa really studied him, she noticed the odd mark, or twinge, or small grunt he emitted from the smallest of motions, and the way he held himself so carefully, almost as if he was afraid that his body might collapse on him at any moment. She'd never really thought about the real damage that might have been done; she knew he had told her that it was 'unique', but what did that mean exactly?

The female shifted in her seat as her brow furrowed in curiosity.

"So…how did they fix you?"

Rufus's gaze rose slowly to meet her own, though his was narrowed intently.

"_Fix _me…"

His teeth seemed to clench at the word 'fix'.

_Well that was the perfect wording choice…well done Tifa…_

"I meant-"

"I know what you meant."

The male's icy gaze fell down to the collected papers, as the brunette recoiled in a kind of embarrassed defeat; again she felt stupid for airing something of sensitive nature in such a tactless way, if she'd been speaking to anyone else she might have tiptoed around the subject, but then part of her didn't want to be thoughtful when it came to the blonde.

Rufus shoved over the last two remaining papers, though as the female reached over to bring them fully over, her fingers brushed ever so slightly against his own; the small sensation causing her to pull back at twice the speed. Her brow furrowed as she went to study the paper; own reaction felt strange to her, for one thing she couldn't seem to work out was why she so nervous of the act, with any other male a slight brush or accidental knock would be nothing, forgotten in an instant, but for some reason every moment with the President seemed all the more significant.

As she finished her second signature, the male swiftly took back the papers; the pen's nib barely an inch from the page.

"Well that's all I need from you for now."

His cold, blue eyes flickered over the forms once again before quickly adding his own signature, and rising from his seat. As he crossed the room, Tifa's gaze followed him.

"Do you really feel no remorse for what's happened to Reno?"

The male released an impassive sigh.

"Why should I?"

"Because…because he's your friend!"

She cringed inwardly as she said it, but although the idea now sounded silly, in some respects she couldn't help but find it to be true, though Rufus appeared closer to laughter.

"You seem to be confused; he is an employee, he does what I tell him, and he gets paid for it. That is all."

A slight thud sounded as Rufus stamped the papers, before laying them down in a tray by the door. As he his way back towards the desk, Tifa rose from her seat and edged closer to him; purposely blocking him from his own seat, and causing him to halt in front of her.

"What was he doing for you?"

"Do you really expect me to give you that kind of information?"

She paused, before emitting an exasperated grunt.

"No."

"Then why ask?"

Her lip quivered uncertainly.

"Because…"

"Well aren't you full of amazing explanations today."

As a mocking smirk began to form on his lips, Rufus attempted to side step the brunette but after only the briefest of hesitations she blocked him once again; the action receiving a rather unimpressed sigh from the male.

"What about Sector Seven?"

Rufus's brow arched in confusion; her complete change of subject somewhat jarring him, though he did not take long to recover.

"Those were not my orders."

"Oh please…you would have done exactly the same thing."

"Maybe."

Her brow furrowed slightly; she wasn't sure what she had expected but that response was certainly not among them. Tifa's warm gaze flickered nervously up to meet his, though her tone did not waver, but was instead soft, almost thoughtful.

"You were going to have me killed…"

"But I didn't."

"Only because I escaped..."

Although his expression didn't seem to falter, there was something telling behind his eyes, almost as if he knew more than he was letting on. After a short spell of silence between them the male matched her softness of tone.

''I've done a lot, some things I'm less proud of than others...''

Her crimson-tinted gaze widened in a pleasant surprise.

Tifa edged closer, though the distance between them had not been great to begin with.

"You mean…you regret it?"

"I'm saying I might have."

By the time his whisper-like tone had finished sounding, the two had grown closer than ever; the fact not having been unnoticed by either of them.

Rufus stroked a finger down the side of her cheek, before cupping his hand around her slim, pale neck and drawing her mouth that bit closer to his own, as he viewed her without a hint of amusement, or mockery. Just as Tifa's lips parted a familiar voice aired through the phone upon the desk.

"Sir?"

Rufus's eyes narrowed, there was no hiding his annoyance at the interruption. He stepped around an unmoving Tifa and pressed one of the phone's buttons.

"What is it?"

His tone was sterner than usual, though Tifa could not bring herself to turn and view his face; her body was still in shock, as her mind tried to understand what had just happened, though what Jane's voice soon sounded over the speaker brought both hers and the President's attention back to reality.

"It's the hospital Sir, it seems Reno's regained consciousness."

* * *

A/N= Ok so I'm actually on time with this update…well kinda XD I started writing this about…three weeks ago in order to finish it around the right time! That's how busy my life gets sometimes! When I first began writing on this site I could post three pieces a day, now I can barely get one good sized chapter out a month…

Also I don't think I should be blamed too much for being slow seeing as I'm applying for UNI at the mo and have the joy of filling out UCAS forms and writing personal statements…oh the fun

But I will be starting another chaptered fic soon; hopefully by then my schedule will be more manageable. So the updates should come every two weeks or so XD

So on to the chapter!

I gave you guys a nice big chunk of TifaxRufus here XD told ya I would! Hope it was alright…I do try my best to keep their conversations believable/in character. I've got endless ideas for conversations between them so I got to use quite a few here which I was quite happy about X) I hope it was interesting!

And there was an almost kiss! Not quite a proper kiss yet, but… I tried my best to write it interestingly, it's not perfect, but hopefully it was exciting to read XD though I still can't see them jumping into a relationship, or physical things, at least not in this fanfiction.

I've read other pieces where it works and some where it really…really doesn't, but I think it usually depends on how they characterise Rufus. I've read some where he seems to be 'normal' in the sense of personality with a few tweaks to make him a tad more arrogant, or sometimes remorseful, and I've got nothing against people who characterise him like that, but it's all down to how you see him, and at what time it's set etc etc

And look, I am nice really XD I may have injured Reno, but I did do him a favour and brought him out of his comatose state…that's a plus :D, now I had some people earlier on in this fanfiction that were interested in a love triangle kinda thing between Reno, Tifa and Rufus…now I'm not sure where I stand on that atm but if anyone has any opinions on that then I'd like to hear them X)


	21. 20:Foggy MornUnappreciated Propositions

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy does not belong to me...however much I may like it to. I own no characters, places etc. etc. so please don't sue me! I'm a nice person :)

Author's Note: Chapter Twenty...PLEASE review as I really enjoy reading your views and they inspire me to get better! It would make me very very happy! Anyway stop reading this and get on with reading the fic! Hope you enjoy! :)

**Chapter Twenty: Foggy Mornings and Unappreciated Propositions**

_The wind was bitter. It nipped at his skin like hundreds of tiny shards of glass, and caused his vision to blur with the pressure. _

_His fingertips were swiftly becoming more and more numb with every passing second; though time seemed almost non-existent in such a place. _

_There were no walls, no sides, no path. Just emptiness. There didn't appear to be any lights and yet the darkness was almost spotted with a strange, 'dull' whiteness that, if anything, just made him feel even more uncomfortable._

_He couldn't remember the last time he had felt quite so cold. It would have been painful if it had not been for the strange detachment that was affecting him. _

_Though that was hardly surprising seeing as this was a dream. Oh yes, he knew what this was. He had never been one for allowing himself to be taken in by such hallucinations. Even with that simple fact residing in his mind, he still could not shake the feeling of uneasiness that was whipping around him in that empty space. _

_It was like he was inside the very depths of his soul. That's what it felt like. Familiar and yet completely incomprehensible. _

_It was so hollow. So distant. Even for him. It was something he could never understand. Not like he was now anyway._

_He needed something else. Like an incomplete jigsaw whose last piece had somehow disappeared from the box, and no matter how hard it was searched for, it had forever remained elusive._

_He had never realised just how vital a piece it was. A piece that would fill that gap which he had managed to ignore with the distractions of money and business. _

_He had never realised just how much he had been yearning for it. He didn't even know what it looked like, what it felt like. But that didn't matter, what ever it was, he wanted it. Now. _

_Like a bird raised in a cage; the idea of leaving that familiar security not being desirable, and yet every instinct, every fibre, every primal urge still drawing its gaze to the world beyond the bars..._

* * *

Hazy eyes twitched open; the warm glow radiating from the surrounding lights almost tempting them closed, and once more into the veil of sleep.

As he slowly became aware of his surroundings a low, and somewhat undignified groan emerged from his lips.

He had dozed off on the sofa. Fully dressed and a little intoxicated.

His brow furrowed deeply as he pulled himself from the piece of furniture with a slight wobble, before a hand racked through his dishevelled locks which seemed to hang out of place; no doubt through being pushed oddly against the sofa cushions.

He wasn't very experienced when it came to hangovers. In actual fact he wasn't very experienced when it came to anything over-drinking related; the most he allowed himself was a few tumblers of whiskey after or during a rather pressing situation.

Another groan sounded as the male made to rub his temple in an attempt to quell the dry throbbing which was threatening to surface.

_What was I thinking... _

He wasn't even sure why he'd allowed himself to drink in such quantity. It wasn't like him; it was pathetic, unnecessary and far too plebeian, not to mention the obvious loss of ones inhibitions.

Luckily for himself at least, Rufus had chosen to drink himself into that state alone; he hadn't done a 'Reno' and gone to such dingy bar, filled himself with some nauseatingly coloured liquor and left with some equally despicable specimen of the female species.

No. No, there was only one woman that would be granted that kind of privilege. Even if he wasn't completely sure of what it was that she had to offer him that he was so drawn to.

His lips curled into a self-inflicted sneer.

Emotional need was something he'd worked so hard to extinguish within himself and this sudden uprising both angered and confused him.

How had this insignificant woman managed such a feat. To make him feel again was not something to be taken lightly, nor was it something to be forgiven either.

He had wanted to destroy her. He wanted to make her pay for what she'd done to him.

She'd made him weak.

She'd made him feel.

She'd made him human again.

And it hurt.

* * *

The house had felt rather empty since the young Miss. Lockhart had left. He hadn't expected to miss her. Then again maybe he didn't, maybe it was simply the company he yearned for, but even that was rather unbelievable. He enjoyed being alone, didn't he?

The stairs emitted a dull creek as he paced his weight over them; his goal of reaching the bathroom seeming so much more trying when every step taken caused his body to groan in protest at its use after a night of liquid abuse.

His head gave another sharp pang.

_This is ridiculous..._

All he had wanted was a few hours of release, a few hours of freedom from his thoughts, from that woman.

His fingers clasped around the metallic handle as he turned the shower on to full heat; allowing the water to pattered down on the vacant base whilst billows of steam rose around and overspilled over the cubicles walls.

He pulled off the jacket with a soft, tired moan and let it slip to the floor in a crumpled heap without a second thought; he wasn't in the mood to take any great care with his expensive tailored garments this morning.

His fingers fumbled with his belt buckle which released itself soon enough, and with little grace he kicked off the trousers which had pooled around his ankles.

Rufus only managed to free half of the shirt buttons before a growl of frustration hummed within his throat; the task which should have been simple enough had suddenly become incredibly difficult to accomplish in his current state and with one swift movement he lifted the item over his head, exposing his torso to the now thickly moistened air.

He stepped rather gingerly into the shower cubicle and allowed the water to cascade down his pale frame with a delightfully warming calm. Although the steam hazed his vision he could still make out his form below, which was now trailed with glistening tracks.

The scarring hadn't really bothered him before, but then it had only resonantly began to heal to a point where it was considered as being 'as good as it was ever going to get'.

It was like he had been melted, like a candle and what had been left was a group of confused lines, like wax set mid-trickle. It disgusted him. It disgusted him because it was a noticeable weakness. One he couldn't hide, and the thought of her seeing him like that was not pleasant.

_Tsst..._

Rufus shook his head; he was getting ahead of himself.

His hands reached out and grabbed the nearest bottle and squeezed a small amount into his palm before working it through his silver-blonde locks; though with the damp conditions they now appeared more of a light brown.

As the fragrant suds slide down his cheek his mind began to wander.

He hadn't taken a shower in there since _she _had. In fact he hadn't even entered the room. If he really thought about it, he had purposefully avoided it for a reason he couldn't quite determine, but the fact remained, and the only reason he was there now was that through his half-asleep, and more than a little hungover state he'd managed to forget.

His hands flung themselves forward against the cubicle's wall as his body found the sudden need for support.

The thought of her standing where he was now, water trickling down her porcelain skin the way it did to his, her hair sticking to those curves as the steam reddened her complexion.

_Down boy..._

He quickly changed the flow of water from one of soft billows into one of sharp ice.

He was usually so good at controlling himself. So good at restraining his feelings. The thought that this woman could have this kind of effect on him was an uncomfortable one at that.

He hadn't travelled with her to the hospital for many reasons. Firstly she'd signed all the forms so there was no longer any excuse for him to be her 'chaperone'. Secondly, after what had occurred between them inside his office it would have been even more uncomfortable than normal. And thirdly there was no part of him that desired to witness her fawn over the red head.

His lips gave a gentle quirk as he mused to himself. Was he jealous? Maybe. Maybe she just did it to spite him. To punish him. She _had_ seemed rather desperate to impress the fact that the Turk meant _so_ damn much to her.

He had, briefly, considered looking at the surveillance cameras, but the thought of catching her smiling at the mere prospect of seeing the redhead made the whole idea somewhat unsettling.

It wasn't just from the earlier days of his 'investigation', nor was it solely from his time spent with her in the hospital, but rather the time spent just_ talking_ with her. It was enough for him to grow curious. Curious about them.

Maybe it was the fact that they got on so well that drew his attention so keenly, or maybe it was the way she was so attentive and quick to jump to Reno's defence. Part of him wanted to know who he'd done it. How had that cocky red head managed to get her to care so very much?

It wasn't that he didn't enjoy the hostility she gave him. It was all a game. A game he was relishing immensely, and one he thoroughly intended on winning. Though that didn't mean he wasn't finding calculating each move increasingly tricky.

Why was she making it so difficult for him? Did she even realise what she was doing to him? Did she enjoy it? Or was she was completely oblivious to the effect she had?

_Maybe I'm over-analysing this..._

There was no denying the fact that there had been brief moments of flirtation from her, though maybe it had come from her naturally friendly nature rather than any specific desire to attract that kind of attention from him.

Then again, the way her eyes sparkled when she was locked in one of their debates and the way she trembled at their close proximity... it was almost as if she was daring him, but without knowing completely what she was challenging him to do.

Even early on she'd seemed to be strongly defiant with him, and yet at the same time, she seemed to take care to offer him the odd compliance...

She'd worn that emerald butterfly clip on his request alone...

His gaze narrowed against the stream of water as he racked his brain for something particular.

_When the young man's gaze once again fell upon the sparkling item placed on the woman's pretty head, he decided it was time to speak, ''That's a...nice item you're wearing..."_

_When all he received in response was an uncomfortable silence he continued,"Where did you get it?''_

_The brunette screwed the bottle top firmly in place before putting it back on the shelf, ''It was a gift.''_

But from whom? A friend? A family member? An ex?

Had Reno bought it for her?

A guttural snarl rumbled from him as his fingers clenched into a fist and rammed against the shower cubicle with a unrelenting shudder.

He didn't understand what he was getting so worked up about, it wasn't as if there was anything between the two other than friendship, though the idea of Reno possessing something he did not was more than infuriating. It was unacceptable.

His head fell backwards as his lids drew closed; allowing the beaded water to gather in fragile pools upon the various hollows in his skin.

* * * Flashback * * *

"Thank you Miss. Taylor."

After a slight hesitation, Rufus's finger slowly lifted from the phone's speaker; once again leaving the room disconnected.

Both parties remained still, though it was impossible to determine whether the shock originated from the news of the red head's sudden recovery, or from what had almost just occurred between them.

The first signs of movement came when Rufus's gaze was drawn by the brunette whom made to straighten herself and direct her own gaze towards the exit.

His brow cocked with somewhat testy confusion and she didn't have to view his expression to know exactly what he was asking.

Her voice cracked as she all but stumbled over her words.

"I...I have to go..."

"No you don't."

Tifa's eyes widened a fraction with an amused disbelief at his unperturbed composure.

"But Reno-"

The blonde shrugged lightly.

"He's not going anywhere."

Her face contorted in a desperate blend of aggravation and bewilderment.

_How can he be so damn calm?_

Although her heart was pounding against her ribcage with a agonizing force, she stayed in position; partly through a sudden inability to process her thoughts and thus make decisions, but also through a hint of curiosity.

As she hovered beside the desk, Rufus circled back around to her, and before she could register the movement, he was almost directly beside her.

"Now, where were we?"

He tone was so even and collected that for a moment all Tifa could do was stare at him blankly. Was he really intending what she thought he was?

Eventually she managed to arch an incredulous eyebrow.

"_'We'_ weren't anywhere."

A small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips; some might have even called it playful.

"Oh, I think you're conveniently forgetting..."

He broke off softly, and gracefully pulled himself ever closer; now resettling himself in the very same position he had been in seconds before the secretary had made her interruption.

Although she hadn't moved, a scowl was set firmly in place.

"Let me go."

His smirk grew; she could easily have left by now, he knew it, she knew it, and yet here they were. Was this all part of the game?

He allowed a short pause to follow in which her gaze aligned perfectly with his; this direct contact only strengthening their forms against any attempt at release.

His icy blue gaze searched her own with an almost smug confidence.

"Is that really what you want?"

"Yes o-of course it is."

Tifa knitted her brow defiantly, but the slight tremble that had sounded through her voice was enough for him.

Rufus tilted his head before drawing ever closer; his lips now brushing against her earlobe softly.

The heat from his breath playing on her skin enticed the smallest moan from her lips, though the way her body tightened revealed her annoyance at the slip up.

"I-I don't understand-"

"Yes you do."

His voice filled her with a mixture of pleasure, anger and a heavy coating of fear, but before she could utter another word in resistance, his lips had lowered to the tender skin of her neck.

The sensation was so soft that for a moment she had to wonder if she'd mistaken, but when she felt his left hand brush over the small curve of her waist before tightening possessively upon the small of her back, she realised that there had been no error.

As he drew her against him, his free hand raised to gently entwine itself within her dark, sleek locks; soon using his new found leverage to tilt her head for easier access to her neck.

The lack of resistance she displayed surprised Tifa; she seemed almost too frightened to touch him. Maybe from fear that he might crumble at any physical display of force, maybe out of reluctance to dig herself into an assault charge, or maybe she was scared that the skin on skin contact might just push her over the edge as well.

Tifa emitted a sharp gasp as her captor's tongue darted out and drew a shivering line along her jaw, and before she could even realise what she was doing, her lips were on his.

Her compliance appeared to please the young male, as for the first time, a deep, rather unrestrained moan hummed in his throat.

There was no doubt who was leading this intimate meeting, and although she wasn't exactly sure as to what he was doing, she knew she was enjoying it.

He'd quickly gained entrance to her mouth, and with each caress of his tongue, the heat grew ever more intense, and soon enough it appeared that the cloth boundary between them was too much to bear.

Rufus's fingers slipped from her hair, before moving their attention to her skirt buttons, but just as he released one, he murmured something rather too triumphantly against her lips.

"You're easier than I expected-"

That brought her right back to her senses.

The force at which her knee collided with his 'lower' region was more than enough to send him stumbling backwards; a mixture of pain and slight amusement edged upon his face.

Tifa on the other hand looked about ready to castrate him with her teeth.

"You're an arrogant prick, you know that?"

Her language didn't phase him in the slightest, though he had to take a few moment to recover control of his breathing; the knock mixed with the nature of their recent interactions causing his body some trouble.

It wasn't long before he'd regained his familiar smirk.

"I didn't hear you complaining..."

He shifted his gaze over her body with an agonizing intensity; as if searching for something.

"Quite the opposite in fact..."

A deep hue formed across her cheeks, but the resonantly unleashed anger didn't seem to fade.

For a moment it looked as if she was going to hit him again, though she seemed to think better of it, and instead straightened herself and began making her way over to the door.

"Where do you think you're going Miss. Lockhart?"

She came to a halt a metre or so from the door.

"I'm going to see Reno..."

Her head turned just enough so he could her jaw clenched and the faint glimpse of moisture forming over her eyes.

"He needs me..."

The male's brow furrowed.

_So do I..._

"He can wait. It's not as if there's anything special between you."

Was that a hint of jealously Tifa detected? His tone had been firm and yet also slightly questioning.

"Why not stay? Why not be with me?"

She decided to ignore the comment completely and instead took to scrutinizing the blonde with a degree of quiet consideration.

His brow raised lightly as a misplaced chuckle sounded from his lips.

"It's not as if you have any other offers."

Her gaze narrowed immediately, but instead of shouting the way her instincts told her to, she just sighed, shook her head and turned back towards the door.

Rufus lips curled into a snarl.

"You should be honoured that I even talk to you!"

But his words hit an empty wall as the door slammed shut behind her and he racked a hand through his silver-blonde hair.

After a few minutes had passed since the female's exit, Jane was greeted with the sight of her boss; angry, dishevelled, and more than a little unsteady. It wasn't like him and it worried her.

As he passed by her desk, the young female looked with with a hint of apprehension and concern.

"Sir?"

He slipped into the elevator in silence, but as he pressed the floor buttons, he turned his icy gaze to his secretary.

"I'm going home."

He flashed her a glare, promising her silently that if he was disturbed she'd be the one he punished.

The elevator doors came to a close and he hung his head with a groan.

He needed a drink...

* * * Flashback End * * *

His fingers relaxed against the cubicle walls.

He had to get her somehow. And he had to get her away from that red head.

He stood under the water flow for a few more seconds, before suddenly turning the handle and stepping out; the floor moistening as soapy droplets trickled from his skin.

* * *

A/N= Ok, here it is, finally! I hope it was interesting enough X) I always love that burst of creativeness that comes after a long spell away from writing! Again I apologise for the delay but as most of you know I had a pretty big thing on my mind so it's taken me longer to focus and find nice periods of free time to write in! And I just got my PS3 in preparation for Final Fantasy XIII so I've been stuck on that for a large degree and I bought about eight new series of Anime I hadn't seen so I've been glued to the TV for the rest of the time XD Then I received three separate beta requests all within the space of a few days so I've been busy busy busy XD But anyway it feels good to be back XD

So onto the chapter…

I thought I'd give you a Rufus-centred chapter this time X) I feel like I've been neglecting him and that's just too big of a crime to ignore! Someone a while ago requested that I give Rufus some dream-space so I thought I'd make his feel rather different from Tifa's to portray their changes in character so whereas hers had a sort of 'glow' to it I tried to make his as cold and unsettling as possible X)

I know the first few sections probably felt a bit weird with Rufus's fixation on Tifa becoming so 'open' and with him being so quick to realise certain feelings towards her, but hopefully when it came to the confrontation scene flashback it sort of made sense...ish. I thought I'd make some truths come to surface there, so in my head he went away and had a whole evening to mull over the idea with the help of some alcohol.

I tried my best to make Rufus's little thoughts about Tifa while he was recovering from his hangover to be as conflicted and still Rufush-ish as possible, like the comment about how Tifa was privileged to be the one he'd allow to touch him and how he still refered to her as Miss. Lockhart even after his...actions XD

And Rufus in the shower was quite fun to write XD I tried to keep it clean and all...but when you've got a naked, steamed up Rufus in your mind it is pretty hard X)

I do plan on exploring Rufus's feelings towards Tifa more in the following chapters, so if this all seemed a little 'fast' it's only because I've chosen not to portray exactly how he feels. Oh and I may not have used a lot of detail during the kiss, but that will come later when Tifa gets her say.

Now this is where I ask for your opinions...

I know the direction in which I wish to take this fiction, but I wanted some opinions on a more...adult scene. I'm not one to be very crash or vulgar in my use of language when writing (unless the character themselves uses it a lot; for example Barret) so it would be as 'nicely' written as possible, but if something was to happen between them would you want the 'details' or would you want a nice 'cut scene'? I know some people aren't comfortable reading it and I'd like to know how my readers feel about it!

Anyway the next chapter should be up a lot quicker! You should expect it in the next few weeks if my life doesn't take another 'interesting' turn XD


	22. Ch21: Meals of Glue & Moments of Warmth

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy does not belong to me...however much I may like it to. I own no characters, places etc. etc. so please don't sue me! I'm a nice person :)

Author's Note: Chapter Twenty-One...PLEASE review as I really enjoy reading your views and they inspire me to get better! It would make me very very happy! Anyway stop reading this and get on with reading the fic! Hope you enjoy! :)

**Chapter Twenty-One: Meals of Glue and Moments of Warmth**

The door came to a close with a gentle 'click', as the young female lowered herself onto the rather uncomfortable chair beside the red head.

"Hey..."

Reno's lips twitched slightly in response, though he seemed unable to utter a greeting.

It was the third morning now. The third morning in a row that she'd come to visit him. She didn't like to admit it but she had practically begun living in the hospital; only going home to shower and check on the bar, which she had left in Yuffie's questionable care, since Cloud was nowhere to be found.

The room was as drab and as silent as before, as although Reno was now awake most of the time, he wasn't so talkative; not only was he highly medicated, but it still appeared that his condition, whatever that may be, was having a draining effect on his physical abilities.

The more she watched him, the more it looked as if he had caught something; perhaps remaining dormant while he was comatose.

His skin glistened with a sheen of cold sweat and he looked a great deal thinner; like something was eating him away from the inside.

They had never really explained to her what had happened. Well she had tried to find out, but there had been certain 'obstacles'; mostly a blonde, suited male.

She had tried to ask one of the nurses about his condition, but she'd only been fobbed off with some excuse about patient-doctor confidentiality; Shin-Ra sure knew about it.

Although they seemed intent to keep any information from her, for the most part, she was left to her own devices, but then being alone in a room with a semi-concious male wasn't exactly riveting. In fact, it was rather frustrating.

Part of her had wondered whether her presence there was really necessary; was it bringing comfort to Reno? Was she desperate to be by his side? If so, why did she feel like she was using it as something to occupy herself with?

She'd felt such despair at his absence, and when she'd heard he was concious again, she had felt _such _relief, such excitement at the thought of being able to talk to him again; she had so much to tell him, so much to ask him.

But he wasn't up to that. The most she got out of him was the odd movement; sometimes when she was ranting about the bar and Yuffie, he'd smile and rub her hand lightly with the tips of his fingers, or when she was asking small questions like 'how are you feeling today?' he'd make an attempt at a shrug.

Her fingers twiddled anxiously. She had considered telling him what had happened between her and Rufus whilst he'd been stuck in bed, but he'd seemed concerned enough when she merely mentioned his name, that she didn't want to imagine what kind of response she'd get if revealed she'd in fact stayed at his boss's house and basically made out with the young male.

She'd nearly let the details slip the previous afternoon, though the moment she begun, her voice trailed to a mumble as she played the possible reaction she might receive in her head.

_* * * "Well whilst you're lying down...I kinda stayed at Rufus's house, and then I tried to attack him, and then we started getting it on in his office, and if you hadn't woken up we'd have probably gone all the way...Oh and then I kicked him in the-"_

_The machine beside the red head began beeping erratically and suddenly a nurse burst through the cubicle door and rushed over to the bedside._

"_What did you do?"_

_Tifa looked at the convulsing Turk with wide eyes._

"_Nothing, nothing!"_

_The young nurse let out a dramatic gasp._

"_Oh God he's having a heart attack!"_

"_What?"_

_Reno's form became still, as the nurse stopped her desperate workings with a unsettled sigh._

"_He's dead..." * * *_

The image had convinced her rather thoroughly to keep her silence on this issue; at least until he was fit enough to withhold from having a cardiac arrest.

She exhaled deeply.

_Why is it all so complicated? Why does everything have to be so hard?_

Her whole life had been plagued by misery. So many assurances had been made to her, by those she cared for the most, and yet each time the dream that had promised to her had faded away and she was left feeling bitter.

Her Father had been brutally slaughtered and her village had been utterly destroyed; both by someone she had believed in, someone she had thought was a hero. Her best friend had abandoned her on more than one occasion and had rejected her at her most vulnerable. Now she was trying to rebuild something which had rather shaky foundations to begin with.

She'd had so many expectations of life and yet the only glimpses of true happiness were rooted deep within her childhood...when she didn't have to worry, when she'd had everything. She missed feeling like that. Cared for. Wanted. Protected. But now, all she seemed to feel was anger.

So was she really angry at Rufus, or was it just her way of channelling all her hatred and resentment? He did deserve to be hated, but did she really _want _to hate him? He hadn't set out to hurt her solely, she had just been 'in his way'.

But why had he kissed her? Why had he taken so much time to make sure she was _in _his way now? Was he just bored? Or did he _want_ her in his life? Did it even_ matter_?

He was arrogant, rude, conceited; everything she despised in a person. He drove her completely insane and the mere thought of him made her skin burn, and yet there were moments when he seemed so...human.

Everybody has flaws right? Maybe she was just damning his because of their history; because he was _easy_ to hate.

All the men in her life were idiots in their own way; Cloud was emotionally stunted, Cid smoked too much, swore too much, and was way too uncomfortable with female 'things', Vincent brooded to the point of the ridiculous, and Barret had a rather erratic temper. The only person who was remotely enjoyable to spend time with nowadays was Reno.

He was precious to her now because he seemed to be the only one in her life who cared, without asking anything in return; other than the odd free drink at her bar. She had thought at one point that there could be something between them, but the truth was she would never want to lose him as a friend. He was too important to lose.

And now he wasn't there for her.

Maybe that was what was making her so angry at Rufus; he had taken that comfort away, even if it hadn't been intentional.

But Reno choose this job...so was it _his_ fault instead? He put himself in danger. He put himself at risk. She couldn't blame him though; she didn't exactly avoid danger, even when she had other, more important responsibilities.

_Why can't it just be simple? _

She needed to sort out the mess that was her life. For the the first time in years there was no disaster, no impending doom, no evil maniac trying to destroy the planet, and yet she was just as unhappy, just as troubled. She needed to start enjoying herself.

She'd spend more time with Yuffe; the young ninja had to bugging her to take a trip to Wutai with her for months now and a holiday might just be good for her. And maybe she could try dating again; someone nice and normal, without a dark, unstable past, or any emotional issues.

Her mind immediately flickered to the blonde; he was definitely a bad choice.

A small smirk appeared on her lips as she combed her hand through the Turk's limp hair; it was duller than usual, and rather matted, but the act brought some comfort to her.

After a moment Tifa's mind began to wander again; what would it feel like to have Rufus's silver-blonde locks between her fingers? She couldn't help but wonder what might have happened if Reno hadn't woken up when he did, or if the President hadn't said what he had.

Would they really have gone through with it? Would she be in his arms right now? Would her fingers be entwined in his hair, as his hands locked around her waist-

_Ok, that's enough of that!_

Her fingers stopped mid-stroke and drew back swiftly. She was meant to be caring for Reno, not thinking about his boss; the man who couldn't care less for him. How could she let herself be taken in by him? Wouldn't it be some sort of betrayal? To the Turk, to her friends, to herself?

She tilted her head backwards and allowed her body to slide further into the chair; she needed to stop thinking about this.

* * *

The small, clunky heel on Tifa's boots thudded lightly on the lino as she pushed through the door and entered the cafeteria.

It wasn't the worst she'd ever been in; the food was edible enough, and the décor wasn't nearly as mind-numbing as it was in the red head's cubicle.

She'd sat beside him for over three hours before her butt finally succumbed to the hard, plastic seat and fell asleep, upon which she had decided to go for a walk and get some food; hoping the break would not only stretch her limbs, but help clear her mind from the unwanted thoughts that continued to plague her, despite her inner protests and although the hospital was hardly interesting, it was large enough to get some light exercise and luckily the cafeteria was quite a way from the ward Reno was situated on.

The place was noticeably vacant; probably due to the fact that the lunchtime rush hour had just passed, so there was very little food left, and most of the workers were back attending to their duties. The only people left were a few stragglers, and some of the more mobile patients who were either conversing in slow conversation with there visitors, or sitting alone in a rather dreamy state.

Tifa quickly made her way through the serving line; collecting an apple and some juice, along with something that mildly resembled pasta, before coming to a halt at the paying booth.

The young female who was currently working there looked bored out of her mind and she couldn't help but sympathise; no one deserved to be stuck serving stuck up doctors and drugged up patients all day.

After handing over some gil, Tifa flashed the girl a small, appreciative smile and walked over to the seating area; soon choosing a table in the far right corner of the room, preferring to be able to survey what was going on, rather than having her back to any future customers.

Once settled, she started on the pasta and although it wasn't exactly the right texture, it was tasteless enough to force down without feeling the need to gag; though she couldn't as of yet decipher exactly what the pasty sauce was meant to taste like.

As she chewed her way through the meal, her crimson-tinted gaze found itself straying to the window.

The sky had darkened dramatically, leaving a grey sort of mist in place of the once pale clouds, and the rain was just beginning to fall; the droplets now sliding rapidly down the glass with a calming simplicity.

A curious smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

_I wonder if they'll be a storm..._

She was forced to revert her gaze though, when another form sat down opposite her.

"Hey there."

It was a male; she wasn't sure whether he was one of the canteen worker, a patient, doctor, or a nurse, but he was cocky enough for her to believe he had to be in some position worth gloating about.

She studied him through narrowed eyes before muttering uncertainly.

"Hello..."

He looked at her expectantly; as if he was waiting for her to declare how amazingly pretty he was or suddenly start giggling like a little girl and ask him to tell her all about his life.

A few seconds past before she began tapping her fork on the side of her plate.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?"

"Not yet."

He smirked, in a supposedly charming way, though in retrospect it made him appear more like some ageing drunk trying to come on to his daughter's best friend.

Although all he was met with was a wave of silent repulsion, it didn't seem to faze him in the slightest; instead he leaned in ever closer and displayed another toothy smile.

"So, what's your name sweetie?"

_Sweetie? _

This guy was already getting on her nerves.

"Tifa Lockhart."

His grin widened slightly at her contribution.

"I'm Derek; I'm actually a Doctor here..."

He smirked again, as he waited for the 'awe' to soak in.

_Great...a pretentious,arrogant know-it-all..._

This was not the kind of guy she wanted eyeing her up.

"So, you visiting someone Tifa?"

She took a large gulp of her juice.

"Hm."

"Dare I ask who the lucky patient is?"

Tifa's brow furrowed. How could any patient be considered 'lucky'?

"Reno."

She'd never heard his last name, but she figured she didn't need to give it anyway; he was Turk after all.

Sure enough, Derek's eyes widened slightly upon hearing the young male's name.

"Reno? You mean the Turk? Ah yes, he's a very interesting case..."

It was Tifa's turn now to look surprised. She tried to keep her

"Interesting case? Are...are you treating him then?"

Tifa's brow raised at this new piece of information.

_Maybe this guy is good for something after all..._

"Well not directly, but I know I've read through the notes. It's really quite rare. What these Turk's must get up to eh?"

"Hm."

She smiled softly; her mind working overtime as she realised what she might have stumbled upon.

"So...I'd love for you to tell me a bit more about situation; I'm sure I'll understand it if _you _explain it to me..."

She flickered her eyelashes at him flirtatiously and it seemed to have the required effect, as the male leant forward; smiling widely.

"Well, it seems that he had a pretty small scuffle with someone, but the small cuts he received got infected with something."

Tifa's gaze narrowed slightly in thought.

"Poison?"

"Well, not exactly, it seems to be something 'natural'; I suppose you could liken it to Mako."

_Mako..._

Reno had once mentioned something about having Mako injections, after she'd commented on how his eyes reminded her of Sephiroth's, so surely something similar wouldn't effect him so disastrously?

"Is there a cure?"

He chuckled lightly; her words seemingly coming across as an adorable naivety.

"Well that's the problem you see; because we don't know what it is exactly, we can't treat it effectively. Kind of like when a new strain of flu arises; it's not on our database so we just have to keep trying things until we find something that works."

_Great..._

Seemingly having used up all his information on the subject, Derek decided on a new path of conversation.

"So then, how do you know the Turk?"

Tifa shrugged; her interest in the Doctor fading rather abruptly.

"Oh, he's just a friend."

"I thought Turks didn't have friends."

He chuckled again, as if his comment was somehow amusing. Tifa just lifted an eyebrow in a withheld annoyance.

"Why wouldn't they?"

"Because they're killers."

The male shrugged lightly as if the answer was obvious; and in some respect it was, but that didn't mean she had to agree with it. Instead Tifa made to huff defensively.

"Well I find his company to be rather _pleasant_."

"Hm."

The Doctor didn't seem to be listening, but that didn't really bother her; the sooner he left her alone the better.

Unfortunately for them both he didn't seem to be making a move to leave.

"Tifa Lockhart... why do I know that name..."

A wide smile began emerging upon his face.

"Hang on, wasn't there someone with that name working for those AVALANCHE weirdos?"

Her eyes narrowed instantly; though obviously not sensing the female's discomfort, Derek carried on unaware.

"They were a bunch of frreeeaaaaakkkks right-"

The toothy, white grin that had been plastered across his face disappeared as his face landed onto the table below with a thud; he was knocked out cold.

* * *

Her pace quickened upon the immaculate flooring; squeaks sounding highly with every step.

She didn't know why she was running; true, for a moment she'd been surprised by the fact that no one had called her up on the clear assault of a Doctor, but then the cafeteria was virtually empty, and they girl on the till probably couldn't be bothered.

On the other hand, it was highly possible that they didn't want to get involved directly, and had chosen to report it later; or leave Derek the job once he came to.

She steered around another corner, and upon spotting a set of bathrooms, she chose quickly to enter; a sigh of relief echoing around the walls as she relaxed against a mirror.

After a moment, her fingers reached out and turned the cold tap full blast; the water flowing freely, and flooding the bottom of the sink as the plug devoured at a slower rate.

The sound was comforting, and as she gently rounded to face it, her gaze was drawn towards the mirror before her.

She didn't look like herself; she didn't feel like herself.

The small glimpse of information at the cafeteria had been something, but in the grand scheme of things, it wasn't nearly enough to calm her; there were more pressing matters at hand, like the kiss.

Why hadn't she pushed away? She should have. It was pure craziness to believe that they could actually do anything like _that_.

But that kiss had been something else. She'd never felt anything quite like it. Sure she'd had _experiences _before, but this was truly unique. Though she wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

It hadn't filled her with comfort, or love, or any of those fluffy feelings that she'd always expected, but rather something both primitive and exquisite.

The breath on her skin had been warm; he had been warm. She had always thought he would feel like ice, like something sharp and uncomfortable and it was disturbing to her; just how different he felt.

She couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if she had allowed it to continue. What might happen the next time.

_Next time?_

She cupped her hands under the chilled water and brought it up swiftly; the contents splashing effectively over the fine contours of her face.

What was she thinking?

She wanted that contact again, that _warmth_, that _demand _she had felt from him.

And that was the problem.

She wanted _him_.

* * *

Another fifteen minutes passed by, before Tifa finally left the toilet block, wrapping her arms around herself defensively; some of her dark strands sticking to her the sides of her cheeks, the moisture chilling against the air.

Her brow furrowed subconsciously as she drifted down the corridor. She was tired. Not especially physically, but the mental stress she was being forced to support was definitely taking its toll.

It didn't help of course that she now had another inner debate raging within her; primarily concerning the blonde. She knew what she _wanted_ to do, but what she _should _do was another matter.

She was nearer to the red head's cubicle than she realised, as when she turned another corner, the young female walked straight into the ward where he was situated.

Tifa took a deep breath; preparing for the following endurance required, before approaching his cubicle.

Her mind was elsewhere when she pushed the door open, so she almost didn't notice the young male sitting beside the Turk; the patient appearing a little shaken by this new presence.

A second glance though confirmed it was Rufus; sitting calmly and talking to the red head, quietly enough so that she couldn't pick up a word.

It took her a few moments to find her voice; though when it came, it was noticeably shaky.

"What...what are you doing here?"

A unsettlingly smirk played across Rufus's lips as he slowly turned to face her.

"Do I need an excuse to visit my favourite Turk?"

* * *

A/N= So here it is! I tried my best to get this chapter out quickly...well quicker than my last update XD

This time we had a lovely Tifa-centred chapter! I thought it would mirror the previous update nicely, so you could see both sides etc but not to worry, Rufus will be back in the next chappie (as you can probably see from the end of this one) XD

I mentioned Cloud for the first time in a looong time, but he's not gunna suddenly come in to become a large character in this, but he will be involved in a future section of this story. The only reason she hasn't mentioned him much thoughtout this is because I'd have thought Tifa would probably be used to him disappearing for long periods nowadays; with deliveries, with visiting Marlene and Denzel while they are with Barret, and with him just being...him XD

I know I mentioned a little RenoxTifa, but it's not what you think, I'm not having her fall in love with him suddenly, but I imagine once in a while, girls consider what they feel towards their male friends. And I am still considering exploring the possibility of one-sided RenoxTifa from Reno's POV; it wouldn't be incredibly strong and angsty, but it may be interesting to explore, especially with Rufus in the mix :D

And just to clear up some things on the annoying doctor etc; I didn't describe him in detail because I don't think Tifa would pay much attention to the way he looked after she noticed how annoying he was XD and the information about Reno's condition isn't overly important, but it is a kind of side-story for the over all plot so I thought I should mention a little bit about it.

The next update should be up soon...ish XD I've got a few other projects I've been meaning to start, but hopefully I should get a chapter up in a few weeks! Though depending on whether I manage to write a certain something into the next chapter or not there may be a delay, but there will be a little surprise if I get to work it into the next update...but don't worry if I can't, it'll just be in the one after that XD I don't want to say exactly what it is though because I don't want to ruin it, but hopefully it'll good!


	23. Ch22: Stubborn Games and Awaited Choices

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy does not belong to me...however much I may like it to. I own no characters, places etc. etc. so please don't sue me! I'm a nice person :)

Author's Note: Chapter Twenty-Two...PLEASE review as I really enjoy reading your views and they inspire me to get better! It would make me very very happy! Anyway stop reading this and get on with reading the fic! Hope you enjoy! :)

**Chapter Twenty-Two: Stubborn Games and Awaited Choices**

Tifa's eyes darted back to the semi-concious red head, as her brow furrowed questioningly, though the hardness shelling his eyes ordered her to behave; for both their sakes.

She slowly drew her attention back to Rufus, whom appeared to be revelling in some kind of amusement.

His gaze was still latched onto hers; as if attempting to follow her train of thought.

A moment of consideration was all she needed to decide upon the best course of action.

"I'd like a word..."

She paused briefly, before completing her response, albeit in a rather disgruntled fashion.

"...please."

The blonde's lips twitched slightly.

"I'm listening."

A testy sigh escaped Tifa's lips as her hands found their way to her hips.

"In private..."

Rufus sighed; his tone heavy with false distress.

"Excuse me Reno, it seems Miss. Lockhart wishes you to be left out of this particular conversation."

He rose slowly, before drifting gracefully towards the door, a small smirk tugging ever so innocently at his lips; just visible to the brunette as he passed her.

She hesitated for a moment before following him out; staying just long enough to steal another glance at Reno, though this time she found herself being completely ignored by him.

_What did I do?_

Once they were both out in the dulled corridor, and after checking that the pair were suitably alone, the young female allowed her face to contort angrily; her words curled with a snarl.

"Now, what are you doing here?"

Rufus seemed unmoved by her obvious irritation; his calm, smooth exterior remaining perfectly in place.

"I believe I've already answered that question."

Her brow furrowed further as a dissatisfied grunt sounded from her throat.

"You didn't come here to see Reno!"

The President rose a single eyebrow.

"You think very highly of yourself..."

"That's not-...What were you saying to Reno?"

She her narrowed, though her gaze was cast down in thought.

"He looked upset."

The male shrugged lightly.

"We were just having a friendly chat."

Tifa's lips twisted into a darkened smile.

_Friendly chat my arse... _

For a moment she pondered the idea that he might have been spinning certain untruths; maybe that's why the red head looked so unhappy, and why he'd given her the brush off.

_Then again...maybe he just told him the truth..._

Either way he had clearly caused some sort of rift, and she was determined not to let it drop.

"Why are you here Rufus?"

The male's left eye twitched; the unauthorised use of his name still playing uncomfortably in his mind.

"I heard you assaulted one of my doctors..."

Tifa's brow wavered in confusion.

_Is this his answer, or is he just trying to avoid the question?_

Concern soon set in as the realisation that she may well have handed the male another reason to torment her, formed before her.

She observed him for a moment; considering whether an apology was required. Though when she caught a hint of a smirk beginning to form upon his thin, pale lips, she swiftly made to pull herself together.

"He was an idiot...I think you should fire him."

The President's eyes sparked, though he seemed to restrain himself, and instead folded his arms; she found the image likened to that of a protesting child.

"I don't take orders from you."

"It wasn't an order, it was an opinion."

He seemed more than a little baffled by her response, and soon a ghost of a smile echoed in her voice.

"So...you still haven't told me what you're doing here."

"I don't have to tell you anything."

Although his answer had been anticipated, his tone showed some hesitation; her lack of protest with the doctor issue had seemingly taken some effect.

_Maybe if I play this game his way...I'll get some answers..._

She took a small, but noticeable step forward.

"You don't have to...but I'd like you to."

He considered her for a moment; this soft compliance both being unsettling and intriguing.

Eventually, his body seemed to relax and his head tilted slightly.

"Do you want to go for a walk Miss. Lockhart?"

_Is he actually asking me...?_

The fact that he hadn't barked an order at her caused Tifa's eyes widened for a moment, but once again she pulled herself together and allowed her brow to furrow.

"It's raining."

A small, soft smirk graced Rufus's lips.

"I know somewhere."

* * *

With the hospital being a Shin-Ra facility it was hardly surprising that the President had constructed some _private_ sectors, seeming for personal relaxation and enjoyment. That being said though, his choice of decoration was definitely not what Tifa had expected; in fact it seemed more like something you'd find in a public greenhouse.

The walls were glass, though heavily frosted; no doubt to deter any prying eyes that might dare to try their luck with catching a glimpse at the interior. It was a little like a conservatory; the air was warmer than the natural atmosphere would allow, so she deemed he must have implemented some special climate control system for this room alone, and it wasn't hard to figure out why.

The amount of plants stationed there, and the variety, must have needed constant monitoring, for their care to be successful.

Luckily her current attire didn't allow her to overheat, though she couldn't help but find it amusing that Rufus seemed perfectly content, even though he must have been uncomfortable; his full suit adding more than one layer of material to his fully clothed skin.

They'd been wandering down a set path seemingly marked only by the President's eyes, that entwined through the plant life, and although it was pleasant enough, she couldn't help but wonder why they were there.

Tifa eventually decided to break the silence; mostly out of curiosity rather than any boredom or un-comfortability with the situation.

"So..."

She latched her hands behind her back and pushed herself forward slightly, so as to bring her in line with the male.

"...is there a point to this little excursion?"

"I like plants."

She wasn't sure if she'd heard him right. Not only was his answer rather peculiar, but it didn't seem to be in relation to her question, but rather a thought he'd let slip from his lips subconsciously.

"Excuse me?"

"They were pretty rare when I was a child..."

Well that was certainly true, plants were rather scarce back then; Midgar lived in a constant shadow after all and the planets natural workings had been disrupted to such an extent that it was not so cable of forging such things.

"My Father used to have a collection in his office; they were something of a symbol to express his elevation in power over everyone...everything else."

Tifa's brow arched.

_Well that I can believe..._

She had no idea why he was telling her this, but she'd learnt to listen when he decided to open up like this.

"Most were just foliage, or ferns that were synthetically grown, though there was a flowering plant, but it never blossomed..."

_Aerith..._

She couldn't help but automatically link them with the young girl. She had cared for them, tended to them, nurtured them like children. She was the only one. The only one able to create something from the earth because she was connected to it. So how had Rufus's Father managed to acquire one?

_Well that's not exactly a stumper..._

Tseng was the first name that came to mind; he had basically stalked Aerith for the best part of her life. It wouldn't have been that difficult for him to '_borrow' _one whilst he'd been there.

_It's no wonder it didn't flower after that..._

Tears had formed of their own accord; another thing she couldn't help. Although she had indeed grieved her with more '_success' _than Cloud had, the thought of the young flower girl never failed to cause something painful inside her.

She hastily tried to blink away any trace of sadness, as she steadied her tone; though it was remarkable soft.

"Maybe he just wasn't the right person to look after it..."

She quickened her pace slightly; overtaking the male by only a few steps.

Her sudden shift in mood hadn't gone unnoticed by him, but just as Tifa had learnt to listen to him, he had learnt to avoid pushing at a subject that caused her sorrow. Of course when it came to a subject that caused her anger, well he was very much the first to broach it.

Rufus halted in his path, as he stopped to admire something that mildly resembled a lily.

"I thought you'd be in better spirits now that your red head is in recovery."

Her brow furrowed.

_'My' redhead?...what's he talking about? And he's not in recovery...if anything, he's worse than ever. _

Rufus was growing more impatient and more perplexed with every passing second that his comment went without response.

He took a step forward; moving his gaze from the lily to the brunette.

"Miss Lockhart?"

She crossed her arms in a child-like protest.

"I don't want to talk about Reno."

Ok now it was her turn to lie. Well maybe; she wanted to know what was happening, but Rufus wasn't about to tell her, and she wasn't going to waste her time, only to receive a roll of biting, condescending remarks.

Her response had seemingly surprised the President whom had proceeded to study her with a degree of apprehension and curiosity.

She took the moment to shift the subject matter to something she _did _wish to talk about.

"About what happened..."

Tifa turned slightly, so as to face him.

"...between us-"

The male viewed her without any immediate reaction, though after a few seconds he tilted his head slightly to the side and smiled with a wisp of amusement.

"What did happen exactly?"

An aggravated sigh made its way from the woman's lips.

"Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Act all..."

She seemed to struggle with her choice of words.

"...stupid!"

Rufus couldn't help but raise his brow. It was so simple, and juvenile that he might have been tempted to find amusement in it, if it hadn't been for the delightfully adorable blush that had formed on her cheeks.

She quickly averted her gaze to the floor.

"Well, it was a mistake."

He took a few steps towards her, as she nodded to herself.

"Are you trying to convince me, or yourself?"

Tifa's head shot up as her body came to realise how close he had gotten. Her eyes flamed; crimson flecks dancing angrily.

"You think you know everything don't you? Well you don't know me!"

"You're not as complicated as you think Miss. Lockhart."

Her eyes narrowed, as he drew a little closer; his gaze intensifying in thought.

"Are you frightened that I might be the only one that understands you?"

He never received a response, as Tifa's fist headed straight for his gut.

* * *

She squirmed helplessly beneath him. His weight firmly held her in place; the air between them now densely heated.

Her face contorted with a mixture of anger and frustration; how could she have let this happen? How could have allowed him to cripple her like this?

_How did he...?_

She should have been able to fight him off, so how had he managed it? He was the weakened party after all; his body should have been easy to remove.

Though, there had been that morning at the bar, where he had overpowered her in the swiftest of movements. And although she had stuck him on occasion, the fact remained that he had managed to dodge quite a few of her earlier attempts at attack.

Her brow furrowed in judgement of her own stupidity.

Maybe he wasn't as weak as she'd previously believed. She'd been reckless, she'd let her guard down, and now she was defenceless against him.

As if he had been reading her mind, an all-to-knowing smirk appeared upon his thin lips.

"You should never underestimate your opponent, Miss. Lockhart."

The arrogance in his tone was unmasked, and Tifa felt compelled to oppose him, though as she stared back at him, she found herself desperately trying to keep her gaze from wavering.

"You are not my _opponent_."

His eyes narrowed slightly.

"Enemy then."

Tifa's voice faltered; that's not what she'd meant.

Was he her enemy? True, at one point they had been on opposite sides, and she had indeed sought to destroy him, but that was a long time ago. Now she just felt like she _had _to fight him. Like a competition; to see who could hold out the longest. It was all just a game.

The lack of distracting conversation between them only made her more aware of the form straddling her own. Her body was stretched out beneath his own, as her hands remained pinned above her head; though not completely uncomfortably.

As the seconds passed by, the silence continued between them, although he showed no signs of removing himself; leaving her feeling increasingly powerless and exposed beneath him.

A growl of frustration began to form in her throat as she struggled fiercely against her captor, but he didn't budge. In fact he seemed to have grown in confidence, as he removed one of his hands from her gathered wrists, and simply held her down with his left hand; his strength, again surprising her as this slight removal made no difference to the pressure on her body.

"Why do you continue to fight me, Miss Lockhart?"

She averted her gaze, but didn't answer, though not through stubbornness, but rather confusion; his tone had hinted at a double meeting.

_Physically or mentally...?_

When she returned her attention, she realised that he was staring at her, no not just staring, observing, studying, with such an intensity it felt as though he was trying to overpower her mind as well as her body.

A soft blush prickled upon her cheeks, though she quickly attempted to cover it with anger; only her tone came out a little more nervous that she'd anticipated.

"Get off."

"No."

The smirk had disappeared from his lips; leaving nothing but unadulterated resolve.

"Not until I've claimed my prize."

"What are you-"

Her confusion was quickly remedied as she felt soft, warm lips brushing against her own.

His breath played through his lips, as he parted his own; his right hand slowly drawing up to trail teasing caresses across the sensitive skin of her neck.

The previous attempt had been almost threatening, but this was different; light, testing. Affection.

Maybe that's why she didn't feel the need to resist; because this _was_ different.

Her eyes fluttered closed of their own will, as the gentle sensation lulled her into submission.

If he hadn't lifted himself from her when he did, he might have been treated to an approving moan.

"Are you ready to stop this charade?"

His question had not been expected, but it certainly didn't need explaining. She didn't attempt to feign ignorance as the shiver she expressed from the lingering fingers that were still stroking soft lines upon her neck would have unmasked her act all to easily.

He raised an eyebrow, as a knowing smirk twitched at the corners of his lips; once again seemingly able to read her mind.

"You might even enjoy yourself."

Her brow furrowed softly, whilst her eyes silently pleaded with him.

_That's what I'm scared of..._

This was her way in. Her way to be worthy.

If she got close to Rufus, she could help Reno?

If she lead him to trust her, she could win this little battle.

She wanted to believe it. She wanted to fool herself into not caring, not wanting, not

She couldn't ignore the raw truth of the matter; this was a dangerous game, and she had already allowed herself to become effected by her own feelings.

Rufus brought her back around to her senses when he brushed a strand of hair from veiling her eyes.

"So Miss Lockhart, what will it be?"

* * *

A/N= WOOT! Ok, not a super long chapter here, but that's mostly because this was more of a set up for the next one, and I didn't want to make you wait months and months before I could get it out XD So I decided to split it in two instead!

Oh and Final Fantasy XIII just came out here in the UK! WOOOOOOOOOOOO! Sorry, I felt I had to express my delight ^_^ so yeah, I've been permanently glued to my PS3...I don't think I can be held accountable for this being delayed when you bring a new FF game into consideration...

Anyway onto the chapter...

Another Tifa pov chapter here...I didn't really intent to focus on her thoughts, but it just happened to fall that way XD Though I'm about 90% sure that the next one will be more of a Rufus focused chapter. And I think it's important to switch between the too, because if anything, this is a character central fic, rather than a plot central one; again I didn't really set out for that path but it just happened to go that way XD.

Like I said before, this chapter was more of a set-up for the following few chapters so hopefully it was interesting enough ^_^ and I couldn't resist having them have another little fight XD We all know my Tifa has a little bit of a temper on her and the idea of her getting beaten by Rufus was just too good to pass up X) Who wouldn't wanna be pinned by the President?

The thing that I said I wanted to write has been indeed pushed back to the next chapter ^_^ I doubt you're in much confusion as to what it is...but still XD tbh it'll probably span over a few chapters with different characters perspectives etc

Hopefully the next update won't take me as long but that might depend on how much FFXIII distracts me...but again, I don't think I can be held accountable for that...if you wanna blame anyone blame the game's creators ^_^


	24. Ch23: RainStained Skin and Raw Words

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy does not belong to me...however much I may like it to. I own no characters, places etc. etc. so please don't sue me! I'm a nice person :)

Author's Note: Chapter Twenty-Three...PLEASE review as I really enjoy reading your views and they inspire me to get better! It would make me very very happy! Anyway stop reading this and get on with reading the fic! Hope you enjoy! :)

_Warning: Following Chapter contains Mature content._

**Chapter Twenty-Three: Rain-Stained Skin and Raw Words**

The rain pattered heavily against the hard concrete, and bounced off their skin, whilst the rest formed small pools as the downpour refused to cease.

How had they gotten there?

It was a mystery even to him. With all his confidence, with all his persuasive abilities, he still hadn't expected this. It was surreal. He felt dizzy, and confused, though the sheer desperation in him pulled his senses out just enough for him to control the surge of primal instincts that were rapidly cloaking his rational mind.

"_So Miss. Lockhart, what will it be?"_

That question. He hadn't even been sure as to what he was actually asking her. He was just asking...

They shouldn't have been doing it like this. It wasn't his style.

But when she'd offered herself, how could he refuse? How could he do anything other than...

"_Ok."_

_His gaze narrowed slightly in a veil of questioning disbelief._

It was cold there; the wind whipped up the rainfall and showered them with sharp, icy blades. But neither seemed to care very much; there was more at stake here than their comfort.

The goose pimples were evident across her shoulders, her forearms, and all he could think of was were else they might be...

"_Pardon me?"_

_She began to fidget nervously beneath him. _

"_I...I said..."_

_Her crimson-tinted gaze flickered as it came to rest on his own. _

"_I agree; let's stop this charade." _

Why had he taken her _there_? The roof of his 'greenhouse' was hardly acceptable. Yes it was walled, and private enough to not be overlooked by any hospital workers on their breaks; he'd made sure to make it cut off from the rest of the building and he'd also made sure to instil enough fear into the workers to make sure they wouldn't ever dare trespass there.

But it was uninviting. Cold, grey, rough; the only shelter coming from the wild flowering that he'd allowed to grow there, untamed.

He wasn't making this easy for her. In fact, it seemed he wasn't taking many of her feelings into account at all. Though that didn't mean he hadn't noticed them.

She was nervous. Her grasp yanked at his tie, and she fumbled with his jacket; her fingers finding buttons a challenge as the rain and the cold numbed her senses.

It wasn't a 'first time' for either of them, but it was their first time _together_ and that was enough to merit some fear; not that he would display his own of course.

As his jacket fell to the floor, she pushed herself closer to his frame; tip-toeing unsteadily.

His gaze was too near to her own to really _see_ her, but he felt her lips brush carefully against the corner of his mouth, as if testing his response.

Her tentative actions were too slow for him to bare. He could barely keep his control in check, and the way her body was hovering before him, along with her vulnerability... it was too attractive, too enthralling.

For a moment, Rufus gave in to his primal urges and before she could lay another one of her gentle kisses upon him, he had her pushed roughly against the hard stone wall; the air seemingly knocked out of her from the unexpected impact.

She hardly had time to recover before his lips came crashing down upon hers. It wasn't careful, or affectionate. It was desperate, violent, dominant. He was meant to be controlled, but the urgency in the way he touched her was anything but.

His fingers roamed over her back, down her sides, across her neck; never letting up for a moment.

Another crisp stroke of wind lashed past them, though neither had the courtesy to shiver.

Tifa struggled to catch her breath between the male's feverish kisses. Her lips were permanently forced open as his tongue refused to relinquish its hold on her own. It was a small battle that she was nowhere near to winning.

His left hand entwined itself within her rain-drenched hair, as his right hand slid down from her cheek to brush against her breast, before flicking his thumb over her hardened nipple, which seemed even more sensitive when covered by her drenched t-shirt, as she trembled with the intense sweep of pleasure that racked her body.

As he continued his ministrations her responses grew more untamed, and every rough moan that hummed in her throat only increased the heat that had begun flaring in his lower regions quite some time before.

With every passing second he found it harder and harder to restraint himself, and soon enough he made to satisfy some of the raw impulse.

He swiftly released her mouth and trailed a line of small, hectic kisses down to her neck, where he bit down upon the delicate skin, much too hard than was comfortable for her, but it was oh so gratifying for him.

His tongue darted out to lap up the small trickle of blood that he'd drawn from her, and he soon found the taste of iron mixed with rain and sweat playing on his tongue. It was strangely enticing.

His companion whimpered in a mixture of pain and exhilaration as he continued to nip at the now raw skin, and her palms pushed uncertainly at his chest; her small frame becoming more and more trapped, though he made no move to release her.

Instead he brought his lips back to her own, where he murmured against them.

"Relax. I'm not going to-"

He stopped at the realisation of what he wanted-...what he was about to say. He knew his control was gone, but he couldn't allow himself to be 'comforting'. He just needed to have this. He needed to have her now. He didn't understand why, but he just had to...

_For a moment his voice caught in his throat, though with a great amount of sheer will power he managed to control himself._

"_Is that your decision then?"_

_He searched her face for any sign of deception or trickery. But all he found looking back at him was a nervous, young girl, almost afraid of rejection, even though it had been him who had propositioned her._

_She swallowed softly._

"_Yes."_

_He lightened the pressure on her wrists as he lifted himself backwards; freeing her to advance and prove herself. _

_Hesitantly she lifted herself forwards so she was almost sitting, though his back was still resting against her thighs and ever so slowly she slide her jacket from her shoulders. _

Her brow furrowed questioningly.

"Not going to what?"

_The motion of the heavy fabric falling down her arms to pool on the floor behind her, coupled with the soft, nervous anticipation etched upon her face was enough to make any man lose his restraints. _

Rufus looked down at her, lost in his own little world for just a moment, before assaulting her with a barrage feverish, almost violent kisses.

"_Miss. Lockhart, do you know how long I've waited for this? Do you have any idea how much I've wanted you? How hard its been for me not to push you up against the nearest wall and fuck your brains out?"_

_Her cheeks flamed at his brutally honest confession._

"_You...you don't normally...talk like this."_

"_I just needed to warn you...once this starts..."_

He drew back a degree as his gaze slowly trailed along her body, with an intensity that was enough to still her breath.

"_I may not be able to stop."_

He had never taken much notice of females before; true his life had been scattered with many attractive women, all of them trying to get on his 'good' side in the hopes of getting their hands on his wealth and power, or doe-eyed admirers who looked at him as some kind of God; neither type really playing much to his inner disposition. Of course that didn't mean he hadn't taken advantage of their willingness. After all, he was still a man.

But this woman was different.

She was so normal, so undesirable, in terms of her class, her history, her personality. She wasn't demure or successful. She was just a woman.

And looking at her now; the way her eyes burned with every raw emotion that flared, the way her neck was red, and glistening with blood and his own saliva, the way her clothes clung to her skin as the rain saturated the fabric.

It was like looking at a goddess incarnate, who couldn't possibly know the effect she had on someone like him.

Without warning he twisted her within his arms and latched his mouth back to the reddened skin of her neck; the pressure receiving another gasp from the female.

Whilst one hand kept her firmly in place against his body, the free hand crept up to the collar of her t-shirt and all but ripped open the buttons; his fingertips proceeding to trace a path through the valley between her breasts that were still contained within her bra.

He couldn't wait any longer.

Rufus turned her back around to face him, though when his hands fell to the hem of her skirt, Tifa began to fight against his grasp.

"Wait-"

"What?"

Part of him was so terrified that she would attempt to refuse him now, that his response came out harsher than was necessary.

She diverted her gaze, as it flickered with a confused panic.

"I-I don't know-"

He claimed her mouth with his as an opinion to silence her, and it worked for a few moments before she wrestled herself free once again. Her chest heaving as she tried to control both her breath and her body.

"This is...it's just too fast, I-"

He drew back from her frame; his icy gaze piercing through her with a chilling ease.

"Why are you doing this?"

"I-I don't know what you mean."

"Do you want me?"

Tifa paused for a moment as she observed her companion, before she made her response; her voice sounding at nothing more than a whisper.

"I wouldn't be here otherwise."

That was all he needed. His hands laced around her waist and hoisted her up against the boxed in air duct; the rain trickling down the side of her face, and dripping smoothly from her chin.

"Then..."

His fingernails teasingly grazed the skin up to her thigh.

"...stop talking."

There was no foreplay here. It was just intense, fury driven passion. He needed her, and there was no time for anything else.

He was being selfish and he knew it, but he couldn't care less.

As his cold hands found their way to cup her buttocks, and drag her that little bit closer to him, another gasp choked in her throat.

She wasn't ready, she wasn't prepared, but he really couldn't wait.

All the warning he allowed her was the sharp 'zip' as he undid his trousers, and the rough pressure as he carelessly tugged her underwear aside, before he rather unceremoniously directed her weight onto him.

Her body seemed to stiffen, as she grabbed for his shoulder. She was wet and aroused, but that wasn't enough to help her here.

Any grace that had been held in his movements before was gone with the arrival of the enormous pressure he placed between her legs, that pushed unrelentingly into her.

But he still wasn't really allowing her to fall into step with his actions, but rather hurry to catch up.

A small whimper escaped her lips but was silenced with his mouth as it crashed against hers; his tongue sliding across her lips alternating with feverish nips of his teeth.

He knew he was messing up here, he knew this wasn't want she'd expected, what she really wanted.

He didn't know if she was feeling the same amount of sheer, raw pleasure, or if she was as close to orgasm as he was, but he wanted her to at least feel something other than the desperate confusion she must have been experiencing.

Rufus paused in his ministrations as he shifted his position ever so slightly, before slipping himself back between her legs. She flinched again, but this time, when he thrust into her, his length pushed up against the small bud of sensitive nerves above her entrance.

She groaned as an acute shudder of pleasure shot through her, and with each thrust he gave, he made it more potent, and more overpowering than before and soon she was clawing at any part of him she could get her hands on for support; earning many groans of encouragement from him.

All the passion, all the frustration, all the anger, all the desire he'd felt for her in those past few months was now being released upon her in its rawest form.

Every thrust from her hips, every brush of her skin, every moan from her lips threatened to pull him deeper into uncontrolled bliss and soon he was teetering on the edge.

Some part of him wanted to wait for her. But he couldn't. He was far too close, and after a moment a rough, unrestrained cry sounded into the air, and he shoved himself so tightly against her that she could do nothing but release another gasp and cling onto his shoulders.

"Tifa..."

Rufus grasped at her hips, as he ground and rocked against her with suppressed grunts as he released into her.

As both of them stilled, a soft howl of wind encircled them, and soon after the female's body collapsed against his own, whilst he lowered his forehead to rest upon her shoulder; both of them physically and emotionally spent.

* * *

A soft splash sounded as he stepped up behind her seated form, and draped his jacket across her shoulders.

She just sat there, motionless; her eyes the only thing betraying her. The only thing showing she was alive. They were fixed, thoughtful, but also pained.

They had been so close a moment ago, but now the divide between them felt so great.

He had already re-positioned his remaining clothes, whilst she had straightened her skirt, and attempted to pull her t-shirt together, though its buttons were truly beyond repair; his jacket being his only token of apology.

The rain had long since stopped, but there were still trickles of moisture running down her skin, though he couldn't tell if they were from her hair or her eyes.

His gaze observed her for a moment, before he lowered himself to her level and tapped her chin with his finger.

She all but flinched at his touch.

Rufus grunted; his brow lowering in a mixture of confusion, anger and concern.

"What's wrong with you?"

Again, his words had sounded harsher than he had intended.

When he received no response he made an effort to return his tone to the smooth confidence he used everyday.

"Miss. Lockhart."

Only a minute ago he'd been calling her name in the midst of a heated release, and now it was back to formalities.

Again no response, and he could only think of one reason why she was acting this way.

"You said you wanted this."

He viewed her like an adult might view a child who'd just shoved an entire ice cream into their mouths after they'd just been warned of the uncomfortable consequences.

"Don't act like I forced you into this."

"It's not that."

Her voice was weak, and it surprised him. She wasn't trying to put up a fight, or rage at him for his actions, she merely gathered enough energy to utter a few words, and used the rest of her willpower to keep her gaze locked on the concrete.

His brow furrowed again, as only one other thought came to mind.

"I'm not the emotional type."

He rose swiftly and walked over to the wall on which he leant himself.

"If you're looking for cuddles and sweet talk you're in the wrong place."

He was regretting every word as it left his mouth, but he couldn't seem to stop himself.

After a few more moments of silence, she pulled herself to her feet, though her legs noticeable shook beneath her; her thighs no doubt now beginning to bruise from his previous actions.

Tifa slid his jacket on and wrapped it tightly around herself, almost hugging the fabric to her in a moment of comfort, before turning and leaving him in the same, chilled silence.

As her footsteps faded from the air, he sighed and tilted his head back against the wall; his ice-blue gaze staring up at the now-clearing sky.

"You pathetic..._pathetic_ man."

* * *

A/N= I couldn't resist having them doing it in the rain XD

Part of me would like to call this a lemon...but in my head I don't think it really is...well, it's a really mild lemon if anything...and there is a reason I had it very...fumbled/fast and I left out a lot of 'details'. So don't worry, it was meant to be like that ^_^ I didn't want to make this to be 'perfect love-making', it wasn't meant to be about that, ya know?

I can't help but notice how many lemons are done from the woman's pov, and I think I know why now...It's so darn hard to write it from the male's! Maybe it's because I'm a female...and most lemons are written by females it seems...Anyway!

I wanted to display a somewhat...'desperate' Rufus here. Mostly because of the situation, as I think he'd be more vulnerable, thus his defences are even higher set. And a man can be controlled only for so long, and in such a situation, with all the emotions and thoughts...I think he'd have lost himself in the moment.

This is more like part one of the lemon, there will be another from Tifa's pov, but I'm not gunna tell you when that'll be (that's not me saying I don't know, because I do ^_^) it may be in the next chapter...it may not be for a few... But I just want to keep you in suspense for at least a little bit XD and Tifa's will be more detailed...and erm...heavier hehe

And yes he was meant to come across as a bit of a selfish bastard during this, it was my intent to show he was just a man (I'm not saying all men are selfish etc, but rather that he was just as uncontrolled and weak to his desires as any other human)

The next one should be up by the end of next week XD Maybe even this week if my writes block keeps away like it did today (I wrote this chapter in the space of an afternoon which is a biggy for me because I'm VERY easily distracted...)

Oh and I love how the last chapter got quite a few more reviews than the other ones...the mention of a lemon and my god do the reviews come out...bunch of pervs haha lets see if it'll get higher with this one XD

And I can finally see an end to this! The story will have thirty/thirty-one chapters in total. I have now planned the rest of it out, so I should get these updates up a lot quicker! I'm very excited as to where I've decided to take this story ^_^ It took me a whole weekend to read through my other chapters and all my scattered plot-notes on this piece of fanfiction and sort them out into a nice plan but it's all sorted now XD

Oh, and when this is finished this I'm gunna go through the whole thing and correct all those niggling little spelling mistakes...re-reading your own work after a long while you tend to see a lot more mistakes than before...*embarrassed shudder* I was pretty shamed...


	25. Ch24: Warming Showers & Hopeless Desires

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy does not belong to me...however much I may like it to. I own no characters, places etc. etc. so please don't sue me! I'm a nice person :)

Author's Note: Chapter Twenty-Four...PLEASE review as I really enjoy reading your views and they inspire me to get better! It would make me very very happy! Anyway stop reading this and get on with reading the fic! Hope you enjoy! :)

**Chapter Twenty-Four: Warming Showers and Hopeless Desires**

_How...how could I let this happen? What was I thinking...? If I was even thinking at all..._

He hadn't even used protection. What was he thinking? If **he **was thinking at all. She wanted to scrub him from her skin. Remove what remained of his touch.

Tifa fumbled through the bar; not caring that she was wearing a man's jacket, or that her clothes were soaked through, and quite clearly ruined.

It was just about that time of day when the place began to get busy, and the general hum from the customers almost felt like a cover for her; the masses boxing her out, and allowing her to go somewhat unnoticed.

Unluckily for her, she had to make her way past the serving-bar, which was currently being managed by a very noisy, and very alert ninja.

The moment she came into eye line with her, Yuffie began to wave her over, though as she drew closer, a foreign look of concern dawned across her usually bright features.

"Tifa...?"

The older female just brushed past her as quickly as she could; almost not daring to look her in the eye.

As she headed for the stairs that would eventually lead her to her flat, she heard a rather impressive bellow come from the bar she'd left behind her.

"You'll have to wait mister! Unless you want me to go ninja on your ass?"

She smiled in spite of herself; she should have known she wasn't going to lose her that easily.

Tifa soon heard her light footsteps following behind her, before she felt a small set of fingers wrap firmly around her wrist.

The young ninja tugged at her gently, though the brunette chose to stay in place; back turned and motionless.

"Tifa...are you all right?"

Her tone was uncertain; she wasn't exactly used to dealing with such situations of upset. It was in her nature to be straight-forward, and almost childlike in her nature; the pure innocence that came with such a genuine and honest outlook. So in retrospect, it was always strange to hear such seriousness from the young ninja.

There was a moment of silence, as Yuffie studied her friend as best she could. When her voice returned it was nothing more than a whisper, but there was a noticeable bite to it.

"What did that jerk do to you?"

Tifa could feel the hot, prickle of tears beginning to form, though she tried desperately to keep them from overspilling; she wasn't going to cry over him, she was better than that.

With all the carefree amusement she could manage, the brunette turned and displayed a light smirk to her ninja friend.

"I thought you said he was a good catch?"

"Tifa-"

"I just want to take a shower all right? You should be getting back to the bar."

Her words had come out sharper than she'd expected, and Yuffie looked offended for a moment, though it quickly faded as a dull hurt warmed within her eyes.

Tifa watched in silence, as the girl backed away hesitantly, before turnings and going through to the bar.

She continued to watch her for a few moments, before turning away herself and all but racing up the stairs.

She hadn't meant to bite at the young girl, but she couldn't help it. She couldn't answer her questions right now because honestly, she didn't really have an answer to them. She just needed to be alone.

* * *

The hard pressure of the water felt pleasant on her skin, and her bruised muscles were more than happy by the raiding heat that steamed up around her.

She had all but torn off his jacket; hardly bearing to have it on her any longer. Her own jacket no doubt still lying on the floor of the greenhouse brow furrowed at the realisation that it was pretty much lost to her now.

_Damn...I liked that..._

The rest of her clothes had been thrown straight in the rubbish bin. If any pieces could have been salvaged, she wasn't interested. She wasn't going to wear them again now.

She wasn't sure what she wanted to do with his jacket. Disposal by burning had seemed like a good idea, but then that might seem petty.

_Who cares about being petty? He damn well deserves to have it shoved down his throat..._

She hummed deeply, as her body temperature rose; the rain successfully turning her skin into a canvas of ice.

_Why a damn roof? Maybe he didn't want to damage his precious plants..._

She smirked. Yeah that seemed like a reliable answer.

Her neck gave an uncomfortable pang as she leant her head further under the flow of water, and it didn't take her very long to recall why.

Tifa slowly raised her hand and ever so gently, brushed her fingertips over the reddened skin. She only hoped that it wouldn't leave a mark; she neither wanted, or needed a permanent reminder. She already had her own mind for that.

_She tip-toed to reach him, and laid a tentative kiss upon the corner of his lips. She wasn't sure how she was meant to be going about this. It was new to her. When ever she'd done **this** with someone before, it had all been so very safe. _

_But now she felt too vulnerable._

_A sudden force hit her from behind, and before she could react, she found herself pushed up against a rather hard, stone wall._

_Her back gave a deep throb as the effects of such an impact began to take effect. Though of course she was hardly given a moment to recover, as his mouth fastened onto hers with a kind of aggression that made her heart stop beating for the briefest of moments. _

_She wasn't scared, but she was intimidated, and she wasn't secure in her knowledge of Rufus to really be sure that he wouldn't hurt her. _

_There was a big difference between being in love and wanting someone, and right now they both wanted something; she was under no illusion that he cared deeply for her, or that he was offering her anyway, but that didn't mean that she didn't want him to treat her more like a human being rather than his plaything._

_Tifa felt his fingers wander over her skin, as another blast of icy wind rolled over them; her smooth skin rapidly becoming marred with tiny goose-pimples. _

_She was fighting to catch her breath now, as his lips became more fierce in their attack. With every kiss she felt that little bit weaker, and it worried her. Why couldn't she gain the advantage here? She was suppose to able to handle this._

_His hand laced its way through her hair, whilst his other hand trailed down her side; his thumb brushing over her now, hardened nipple. _

_She couldn't stop the shiver of pleasure that swept her body at this tiniest of actions; the adrenaline, and temperature seemingly multiplying the sensation ten-fold._

_True this wasn't how she wanted it, but the fact remained that what he was doing to her wasn't unpleasant, and she couldn't stop the heat that was beginning to radiate within her core, or hold back the moans that hummed in her throat. _

_Her mouth was released, as a trail of small, feverish kisses were placed down her neck, though they were brought to a halt when he bit down rather too violently on the sensitive skin there._

_A small wisp of panic shot through her, as she felt a warm trickle slide down her chest. Had he really drawn blood? _

_She felt his tongue dart out, and draw across the tender area, and couldn't withhold the whimper that she'd been holding in her throat; his teeth continuing to nip at the now, raw skin. _

_Her palms began to push at his chest as another wave of panic overcame her. She felt trapped and he was showing no signs of even recognising her pleas for release. _

_His head rose slowly, as his lips brushed against her own._

"_Relax. I'm not going to-"_

_He seemed to pause in reflection for a moment, and she looked up at him uncertainly._

"_Not going to what?"_

He never had answered her question. Though she had answered his.

_"Why are you doing this?"_

_"I-I don't know what you mean."_

_"Do you want me?"_

_She paused for a moment to observed her companion._

_She **had** wanted him, and she still did...but still, something about this seemed wrong. It was too late to pull out of this now though, right? _

_Tifa pushed her voice to sound, though what aired was nothing more than a whisper._

_"I wouldn't be here otherwise."_

Why did he ask her that? Would he really have cared if she'd said no?

It had been so rushed, so desperate. It wasn't meant to be like that, was it?

_Rufus's figure caused her gaze to focus, as he lowered himself to crouch before her._

_She wasn't sure how long she'd been sitting there for but it felt like an eternity. _

_His finger reached out and tapped her chin gently. _

_She couldn't help but jump. It unnerved her. Such a considerate touch after what they'd just done. It was like, however hard she tried, Tifa just couldn't understand him._

_Her flinch seemed to have angered him in some way, as his eyes narrowed._

_"What's wrong with you?"_

_There was no gentleness to him now, and any affection that might have been threatening to show had well and truly departed._

_"Miss. Lockhart."_

_If she'd had the energy she might have smirked. Only a minute ago he'd been calling her name, but now he was treating her like he always had._

_"You said you wanted this."_

_She knew that. He didn't have to treat her like a child, especially considering what they'd just done together._

_"Don't act like I forced you into this."_

_"It's not that."_

_Her gaze reverted back to the concrete. She couldn't bear to look at him, she was too frightened of what he might see in her eyes. _

_"I'm not the emotional type."_

_He rose and left her field of vision._

_"If you're looking for cuddles and sweet talk you're in the wrong place."_

_She knew that too._

A small, almost mournful sigh sounded from her lips, and she bent her head lower under the flow, as she reached out to turn up the water's heat.

* * *

Tifa all but slumped down on her bed; her face nestled in the soft duvet cover, whose familiar smell seemed so much more comforting to her now.

She felt exhausted, both physically and emotionally, and all she wanted to do right now was sleep it off.

Her towelling dressing gown was hardly ideal wear, but the soft threads just seemed too cozy to remove.

Staying in place, the young female stretched out a hand to the one of the bedside cupboards, and gentle pulled open a draw; her hand proceeding to reach towards a small chemist-box.

She didn't know why she had kept taking the pill. As if she'd believed Cloud was ever going to come home one day and suddenly want her.

She was surprised Rufus hadn't mentioned it. He certainly wouldn't want to get a 'commoner' like her pregnant. Then again, it probably wouldn't be too hard for him just to get rid of her if he so wished.

A crisp 'pop' sounded as she released it from its foil prison, before placing it on her tongue.

The small tablet slide down her throat at a tortuously slow rate; its path remaining rather dry without the aid of water.

After she was certain it was doing its work, she slide the box back into the draw and once again thrust her head into the warmth of the duvet; unwanted tears beginning to trickle down her cheeks with an uncomfortable heat.

But why? Why was she so upset?

_It's because I liked him._

It was true. In spite of herself she'd grown to hold some feelings for the young President; whether these feelings were really health or not was still in question. But the fact remained.

Her belly had felt so warm when he had kissed her back in the greenhouse. It was so sincere that for a moment she had almost forgotten who he was, what he was capable of. It had allowed her to let her guard down, only for him to revert back.

_I should have known better than to lay my trust in a man..._

She couldn't like him. She couldn't let herself he used like that. To be taken in again.

_Cloud..._

She had tried so hard not to think about that man; he was her friend, and she would forgive him anything, but that didn't stop it from hurting.

Rufus was just the same.

He couldn't, or rather _wouldn't _give her what she wanted. What she craved for. And yet she still wanted him to love her.

_Why does everything have to be so complicated..._

In spite of herself, Tifa found her body yearning for that wretched man to burst through her bedroom door and to cradle her in his arms like a little child. She just wanted him to make everything better.

She nestled her face deeper into the duvet, as she curled her body into an almost defensive ball.

_Those kind thoughts are best left where they belong Tifa...in your dreams._

* * *

She was still lying there when Yuffie came up at the end of her shift.

A gentle creak gave her away, as the young ninja hovered by the bedroom door; neither daring to enter or willing to leave.

Tifa rose her head a little and turned every so slightly towards the door, so as to allow her voice to carry further.

"What do you want Yuffie?"

There was a short paused before the young girl responded; her usual cheeriness replaced with a somewhat awkward concern.

"I'm going now?"

"Ok."

There was another spell of silence, and for a moment the brunette thought she might have left, but sure enough, her voice sounded once again through the wooden door.

"Do you want me in tomorrow?"

Tifa considered her inquiry for a moment. If the ninja was here then she wouldn't have to face the customers in her current state of unrest, but then she would have to deal with more questions from Yuffie.

"Erm no...I should be fine by myself. You go have some fun all right?"

There was yet another pause, though this time when her voice returned it sounded as if it had been infused with a dangerous amount of pure-grade Yuffie mischief.

"Can I have fun beating up that stuck-up, yet incredibly handsome blonde?"

A soft chuckle emerged from Tifa's throat without her consent, though it was not completely unwelcome.

"Sure."

The ninja giggled herself as she finally stepped away from the door and began to make her way out.

"Night Tifa."

She could hear that the smile was back in the young ninja's voice, and she was glad. No-one else, especially someone that young, should be having to worry about someone like her.

This was her fault, and it was her responsibility to deal with.

_Great one Tifa, now you've just gotta figure out _how you deal with something like this.

She emitted a tired sigh, as her eyes fluttered close.

If she'd managed to stay awake a few moments longer, she might have heard the phone ring, but Tifa was already deep in the veil of sleep when a familiar voice began to sound from the answering-machine.

* * *

A/N= The amount of hate-reviews Rufus got for the last chapter was pretty impressive... I suppose I should be glad that my writing managed to get so many people riled up XD

I just hate it when people write lemons and make them out so both parties enjoy themselves and it's all perfect etc I mean it's a nice thought, but not overly realistic... Doesn't mean it can't happen XP but it's not all about fireworks and lovey-dovey...ness ^_^

Again, more reviews for the last chapter than any for a while...I wonder whether that was for the hatred of Rufus or the mini-lemon? Hm...the pervy plot thickens

I've been watching excessive amounts on Anime...and when I say excessive, I mean excessive. I think I spent about £200 just last month on a load of new series...I don't even know how I managed to get that amount of money ^_^ but I have been making my way through them XD so I'm surprised I've managed to get this out so quickly *mini applause for me* The next update should be up within a week too, so here's a hoping my sudden burst in activity continues ^_^

Anyway onto the chapter!

I know this one was relatively short, but that's mainly because a large chunk of what I was going to have in this chapter has been moved onto the following one, so the next update should be quite a large one.

I did a bit of mirroring with the shower scene XD as soon as I started writing it, the chapter with Rufus in the shower just popped into my head. I tried to make it so that when it was Rufus it was before the event and the desire for it, whereas here it was almost the opposite.

Oh, and her crying isn't meant to make her appear weak, but sex is an emotional thing anyway you look at it, and sometimes you just can't help it, all those hormones and feelings can make you feel like crying anyway, even if it was lovey-dovey perfectness X) so that, coupled with her own experience with Rufus...well it just seems like a natural thing to happen.

The flashbacks were in Tifa's pov if you hadn't noticed XD They were quite fun to go over in her mind actually, but I didn't want to go too far into her thought process, because I'm planning on having the pair erm...discuss it together.


	26. Ch25: Late Night Visitors & Hidden Scars

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy does not belong to me...however much I may like it to. I own no characters, places etc. etc. so please don't sue me! I'm a nice person :)

Author's Note: Chapter Twenty-Five...PLEASE review as I really enjoy reading your views and they inspire me to get better!!! It would make me very very happy! Anyway stop reading this and get on with reading the fic!! Hope you enjoy!! :)

_Warning: Following Chapter contains Mature content._

**Chapter Twenty-Five: Late Night Visitors and Hidden Scars**

_Her body felt warm. Comforted. It was strange. Where was this feeling coming from?_

_She shouldn't be feeling this way. Being so calm, when her mind had been consumed by such turmoil._

_Something was different now._

_She was aware she was sleeping, and yet she was also aware of the movements around her. She could feel the duvet against her skin, the air brushing lightly upon her her cheek._

_She must have been slowly awaking from her slumber, and yet she was still being enthralled by something else._

_It was invading her senses. A familiar smell. _

_Part of her wanted to nestle deeper into that warming aroma, touch it, surround herself within it._

_And yet another part of her felt rather uneasy at its presence. _

_It wasn't meant to be there. _

_So why the hell was it?_

Tifa moaned somewhat weakly as she forced her eyes to flicker open.

Her body stiffened as she felt an unknown hand thread through her locks and its finger tips brush lightly against her cheek.

_Am I still dreaming? _

The young woman drew her crimson-tinted gaze over as much of her surroundings as possible, without moving her body.

She was still in her room, still lying across her bed, and still very much in her towelled dressing gown.

A very warm, deep light was bleeding through the curtains and leaving a single trail within her sight, highlighting the small dust particles floating unfelt through the air; it must have been getting on to late evening now, as the room was darkening.

_Just how long have I been a sleep?_

She remembered Yuffie leaving after her shift, but that would have been in the early hours of the morning, so had she slept through the entire day?

The question died as her gaze stilled on the form she'd been searching for; seated just beside her.

Her hair had fallen across her face during the course of her slumber, and had seemingly veiled her current state of conciousness from the intruder; her small movements and stiffening also seemingly going unnoticed or at least ignored.

She could only see his lap, and his thighs from her current angle; his arm was outstretched as his hand continued to brush over her hair; it was still slightly wet, though had no doubt dried in some terrible state.

She already knew who it was; she'd recognise that scent anywhere, and there was only one person who wore suits like that.

_Could he get any creepier? _

If she hadn't been concerned about giving herself away she might have laughed.

It didn't take her long to work out how he'd gotten there either. He'd no doubt had keys made when he'd had her bar redone; she was understanding that side of him more and more everyday. He never did anything without knowing he'd receive something in return, if there was nothing to gain then he wouldn't bother. And he'd certainly gotten a lot out of that small gesture he'd made so many months ago.

She wondered if he'd meant for all this to happen, right from the very start.

Her fingers curled ever so slightly around the duvet's material.

_If I don't move...maybe...maybe he'll just go away, maybe he'll just leave and-_

"I know you're awake Tifa."

_Oh crap._

She decided to remain silent; more out of a loss of what to say, much like a rabbit caught in the head lights.

"I did ring..."

Once again she decided not to respond, though as silence fell she couldn't help but feel incredibly silly at her behaviour.

"I've made sure to close up the bar."

That got her up.

His hand retreated, as her hair whipped out of his grasp.

"What? Why?"

He looked at her with an amusement that only went to annoy her further.

"Well, I didn't want you getting distracted by customers."

Her body began to tremble, and her brow furrowed as a piercing degree of uncertainty crept around her.

She didn't want to be alone with him, and Yuffie wasn't coming in to help with the late evening shift. She was stuck.

_Damn._

Tifa practically threw herself from the bed and as far away from the male as possible, before jerking the bedroom door open and directing her gaze to his own at full force.

"Get out."

* * *

The young male's expression remained strangely blank, with just a hint of confusion flickering as his brow lowered.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh right, I'm sorry."

Tifa crossed her arms and displayed a purposefully fake smile.

"Get out, _President Shinra_."

The look on his face would have been comical if she wasn't so frustrated by it. It was as if he hadn't even heard her.

The two continued to stare at each other until his eyes eventually showed a glint of understanding; his brow still furrowed.

"Why?"

Her eyes widened slightly, before she exhaled deeply; annoyance flaring in her gut.

Though before she had a chance to both ignore his query and reiterate her original command, Rufus was back to questioning her; the calm, almost dreamy demeanour radiating from him just going to perplex her further.

"Are you...frightened of me?"

She only took a minute to consider him.

"No."

Her voice was steady, unfluctuating, and why wouldn't it be? She wasn't _scared _of him. No, that wasn't it. Though the way he was looking at her right now was making her more than a shade wasn't like him; he should have been biting some hurtful remark at her by now, putting her in her place.

_What's wrong with him?_

"I came here because we need to discuss the current situation that has arisen-"

Tifa grunted; her irritation breaking through her resolve to remain unswayed.

"This isn't a meeting Rufus! Stop treating me like-"

"Like what?"

He was studying her with a genuine curiosity; his head tilting to the side ever so slightly in a foreign innocence.

The young female just shook her head and leant back against the wall.

He took her silence as a means to continue and he directed his gaze to the duvet, onto which he'd laid a familiar black garment which she only now noticed.

"I thought you might want your jacket back."

"Oh...thank you."

She began to take a few steps forward in order to take it, though quickly drew back when she realised just how close she was to him.

_It's not as if it's going anywhere..._

Her gaze drew to a small patch of floor in the far corner of the room where she had flung the President's own jacket earlier; the item now nothing more than a crumpled heap.

His attention had followed hers, and as he came to view the object of her interest, he raised a single brow.

"That's very expensive you know."

"I'm sure you have another one."

Tifa didn't understand it, she was expecting him to be angry, but he was so still, so aloof.

She took a moment to study him. He must have returned home too, though he looked very much like he had done the last time she'd seen him. In fact he looked to be in the same clothes, apart from the missing jacket of course.

His hair wasn't as straight or as clean as it should have been, and his cheeks where noticeably more flushed than his usually pale complexion allowed. Even his eyes seemed to have changed; their sharp, icy blue shade replaced with something all the more dulled, as though he'd been prematurely awoken and part of him was still half-asleep.

Tifa lowered her position slightly so as to allowed herself a closer look at the seated male.

"What have you been doing?"

He shrugged lightly, a small smirk playing on his lips.

"I'm not completely sure."

Her brow cocked as a rather stark and embarrassing realisation hit her.

"Are...are you drunk!?"

Again, he shrugged, though his self-amusement seemed to heighten.

"A little."

_Well that explains a lot..._

This was strange, it was weird seeing him in such a vulnerable state. And why the hell had he been drinking anyway? That wasn't exactly his style, then again she wouldn't really have pegged fucking someone on a roof as his 'style' either.

He had his head cradled in his palms; silver-blonde strands spilling over his fingers.

"Rufus...?"

He lifted his head, but didn't allow his gaze to meet with hers, instead he chose to watch her body; thinking.

She chose to take careful note of his silence. Did he even know why he had come here, really? She couldn't read him when he was like this; she was used to the _other _Rufus. This one was strange. Not unlikeable, or particularly unpleasant, but most definitely _new_.

She tugged at her cuff of her dressing gown in a mixture of nerves and frustration. She wanted to hurt him, but looking at him now, well it just seemed wrong somehow. And she wasn't like him, she could still show pity.

Tifa let out a half-defeated sigh and unlocked her arms; her fingers drumming absent-mindedly on the wall behind her.

"So, was it how you imagined it?"

His brow lowered, though his gaze remained fixed on her mid-drift; maybe not daring to stray to meet her crimson-tinted eyes in the concern of betraying something, or allowing her too much contact.

"You said you'd been waiting along time...to_ have_ me."

A rather long and uncomfortable silence passed, with Tifa coming close to giving up on receiving any kind of response, but eventually the male's voice sounded, though it was strained, and as distant as ever.

"It was fine."

Tifa didn't know whether to feel insulted or relieved.

"Fine...right."

"I didn't feel how I thought I would...afterwards."

He seemed to be talking more to himself than to her, his voice lowering and his drunken state clearly increasing his receptiveness to talk about topics that would otherwise be off-limits, so she continued to listen; this might be the only chance she had to hear what was going on in his head.

"I thought I'd feel pleased, satisfied with myself...but I don't know, I just felt _uneasy_."

He raked his fingers through his already dishevelled locks.

"Like I hadn't achieved _anything_."

Tifa rolled her eyes and let out a small, unimpressed chuckle.

"Do you even _like _me Rufus? Or is this just about possessing something?"

He took a moment to genuinely consider the question.

"I thought I wanted you."

His gaze narrowed as his eyes rose to finally meet with her own.

"But now, it's like I _need_ you."

He shook his head, as his lips curled into what could only be described as a snarl.

"It disgusts me."

She rolled her eyes yet again.

"Oh thanks..."

Her decision to show mercy was ebbing away with every word uttered from his mouth.

_Maybe a drunken Rufus was just as bad as a sober Rufus after all..._

"I shouldn't be this weak."

The young female sighed heavily.

"What makes you think this is a weakness?"

His head cocked and his gaze softened as confusion took over.

"Having feelings doesn't make you weak Rufus. By all accounts it was _our_groupthat helped save the world a lot more than you and your company. And it wasn't because we were powerful, or because we wanted to save ourselves. It was because we actually _cared_. We wanted to protect this world, its people. Our friends, our loved ones. What did you have to protect really? Apart from your company?"

She emitted a unimpressed grunt at the thought.

"I wondered what you were like once."

Her eyes fell to the carpet, as her back nestled into the wall.

"But it just turns out your just another scared human being. Twisted by your own upbringing, your own past, your own failings, it's all rather pathetic when you think about it-"

A loud bang sounded as a set of hands landed either side of her head.

She used all her willpower to stop her body from stiffening under the unexpected threat. And it was a threat. She should have known that even with the application of alcohol he would still be prone to such reactions when his image was under scrutiny. So why did she keep doing it? Did she really find riling him up so damn exciting?

Her heart thudded uncomfortably against her chest, though her eyes remained focused on his.

"Remove yourself."

A somewhat lazy smirk graced his thin lips.

"And if I don't?"

She studied him intently; he wanted her to lash out, but why? Would it make him feel better? For her to punish him?

After a few moments of her silence, he backed off.

"I apologise."

Tifa was certain that if she'd been drinking anything at that moment it might just have shot out of her nose.

"Erm...excuse me?"

He didn't sit back down; instead choosing to sway somewhat uncertainly on the spot.

His expression was hard to decipher, though she could have described it was 'uncomfortable', as though part of him was still attempting to retain some sort of propriety.

"You should be trying to knock me out."

A small chuckle escaped his lips, though Tifa found it hard to pick up any amusement.

"Is that what you think you deserve?"

He shrugged, though the small movement seemed to unbalance him as he swayed a little too far.

Tifa on instinct went to steady him, though he jerked away from her touch as though it carried some sort of infectious disease; another snarl quick to follow.

"I don't need your help."

"Argh! What the hell is wrong with you? One minute you're telling me you want me, then that I should punish you, and now you're snapping at me! What the hell_ do_ you want Rufus?!"

When all she received in response was another infuriating shrug, she took a deep breath and sighed in a tired sort of defeat.

"I think you should go home and sleep it off, you're not in any state-"

"I haven't drunk that much."

She raised an eyebrow at him sceptically.

_Could have fooled me..._

"Why are you so insistent on finding out why I am, the way that I am?"

"Huh?"

The bewilderment etched upon her face was really quite comical, though Rufus seemed not to have noticed as his attention remained fixed on the floor; possible embarrassment at his own behaviour causing him to keep his gaze averted.

Her brow remained lowered for only a few more moments before she let out another sigh.

"Oh I don't know...you're just...I suppose you've always been there, you basically had power over my whole life...I just wanted to know what kind of person could do that..._how_ they could do that."

"Hm."

She viewed him as he slumped back down onto the bed, allowing him head to hang in a pitiable fashion.

"I must be quite a let down."

Tifa didn't make a response. What was she suppose to say to that anyway? He was everything, and nothing she'd imagined him to be all at the same time.

"Did I...I mean, did I hurt you?"

Well she hadn't expected that.

Her eyes widened slightly.

"Erm, no, not really."

She rubbed self-consciously at her the sore patch of skin on her neck; the movement not going unnoticed Rufus.

For a man in his state, he still had remarkable control of his body when he chose to, an although some of his actions were awkward, he managed, with very little trouble, to reach out and pull her to him; her body collapsing onto his lap side on, whilst he still remained perched on the bed.

"What are you-"

Her voice halted itself as she felt a finger stroke across the red line upon his skin, as though inspecting it.

"I got carried away. I'm sorry."

All this apologising was really starting to freak her out. He gently brushed away the hair shielding her neck, before placing a somewhat feather-light kiss upon he bite mark and she suddenly became very aware she was wearing nothing but a dressing gown. She didn't like this feeling of vulnerability, and soon she found herself shivering.

_What the hell are you doing? Get a damn grip on yourself Tifa..._

She pulled back from him slightly; a look of suspicion glinting in her crimson-tinted eyes.

"Why are you being nice?"

He shrugged; she was _really _getting tired of that.

"I made you feel you had to...on the roof...I pressured you-"

"Excuse me?"

"I scared you-"

"What makes you think I was scared?"

"Because...of what you thought I might have done to you if you had refused."

Tifa was in a state of disbelief that this point. Was he really showing remorse? Of course he hadn't forced her into it, but then maybe he'd grown so used to people doing exactly what he told them that he could no longer tell apart willingness, from obedience.

"Rufus, you didn't-"

"I've never known anything _real. _I've only ever taken what I wanted."

He chuckled to himself.

"I never even asked if you actually liked me..."

His hand trailed up to her cheek and tried to pull her gaze to meet his own, but she resisted.

"Tifa-"

"You don't deserve to be forgiven...you say all these things...but that's not enough...actions speak louder than words Rufus...and you've done a lot to be hated for. Not just by me..."

She hadn't noticed, but her voice was strained; she was upset. Hot tears prickled down her skin with a tortuous ease. She was battling with herself; she didn't want to be taken in so easily, who knew what game he might be playing now, but then the idea of being able to give in and just be held by someone was all too tempting.

The young female took in a shaky breath.

"I want you to treat me like a human being, but I don't think you know how."

She cried openly now; not just because of him, or what had happened. In fact she wasn't completely sure why she was crying, all she knew was that she _wanted _to.

Rufus didn't say anything, but his grip tightened around her. There she was, crying her eyes out, buthe wasn't teasing her or belittling her. It was nice, even if it might only last until he was sober. She allowed the warmth, and sincerity in his embrace to pull her in; the comfort being offered to her becoming overwhelming.

They remained there for a while, her sobs slowly ceasing, and becoming replaced by sniffles.

She could feel the young male begin to fall asleep around her, though his grip remained absolute, making her take great careful to release herself, before allowing him to fall backwards onto the bed with a soft thump; her body leaning over his with a restrained silence.

As she made to move away she heard him hum lightly in his sleep, and although the words were muffled, she couldn't help but stiffen as she heard them.

"I don't like it...when you cry."

* * *

A few hours had passed since she had watched the young male pass out on her bed and Tifa had made sure to leave him in as much silence as possible; maybe some sleep would do him good.

She just didn't know what to do about him. He had actually _apologised_, and not just the once. Though she couldn't be certain on how much of it had been influenced by the alcohol in his system, which caused the situation to become ever so much more confusing.

She'd spent a good two hours just sat upon the sofa, completely consumed in her own thoughts on the matter, though she had only managed to come to one conclusion.

_I swear that man just gets more and more infuriating every time I see him..._

The urge to throw him out was still quite strong, but the thought of leaving him lying on the pavement outside, although tempting, just seemed too unpleasant.

The young woman had eventually gotten up when a shiver made to run a path across her legs and the fact she was still in a rather undressed state came reeling back.

She hadn't especially wanted to go back into her bedroom to find something to wear, so she had decided upon taking something straight from the dryer, and although the choice wasn't exactly varied, it would do.

Her fingers were still fumbling with the buttons on one of Reno's old shirts that he'd left behind when a creak sounded from the floor boards behind her, but before she even had a chance to swing round to confront the source, she felt another, familiar, body restrain her; her back colliding with his front, as his grip tightened against her, only to relax as he gently wrapped his arms together around her torso.

After a few awkward though not completely uncomfortable moments, she managed to speak.

"Erm, what are you doing?"

"Holding you."

"But...you don't do that sort of thing."

"And why not?"

"Because...you're Rufus...and you're a jackass?"

It was almost as if she was asking _him, _though what she received in response was not what she'd expected; he laughed. Yes, it was soft, and almost inaudible, but he actually laughed.

His arms relaxed, allowing her to twist around to face him; her eyes narrowing as she viewed him with a mixture of concern and wonder.

"Are you still drunk?"

"No...I'm feeling much better, but I would like some water."

She cocked an eyebrow.

_What? No 'please'? _

"Fine."

Tifa made her way out of his embrace and made to collect a glass, with him watching behind her.

As she swung back around with the glass of tap-water, his face contorted slightly, and she sensed his hesitation to drink it, no doubt because she didn't get it out of a mountain spring, but with her staring daggers at him, he really didn't have a choice in the matter.

He took it from her, taking special care to add a grateful smile, even if it seemed most definitely forced.

"Thank you."

She had to withhold her eyebrows from raising.

_Well at least he seems to be making an effort with his manners..._

A small silence passed between them as he took a few sips of water, though when he lowered the glass, she found his attention quickly focused on something else.

With the scuffle whilst she was changing, Tifa had left a few of the top buttons on her shirt undone, and he was now staring at her chest.

She, immediately, took offence, and glared at him intently.

"What are you looking at?"

Without a word, the young male moved forward slowly, making sure to put the glass down on the way.

Tifa backed up as he continued to approach, though she soon found herself rather abruptly stopped when her back came up against the counter top behind her.

Before she could really think about another escape route, Rufus was standing before her, eyes focused intimately, as his hand lingered just above her cleavage line, and that's when she realised; he must have been too busy to notice the last time he'd been given the opportunity to, but the top of her scar was showing quite easily now.

His finger drew down the white, lightly-raised skin, until the buttons eventually blocked him, and he looked at her, questioningly.

"Do you mind if I...?"

What was she suppose to say? She wasn't sure what he was really planning on doing, and she was both held by curiosity, and shock.

She silently shook her head, and watched as he carefully undid the rest of the shirt buttons, opening up the garment.

Tifa didn't particularly mind, as she had chosen to wear a black camisole underneath, though she couldn't help but flinch when she felt his fingers grasp around her hips before teasingly drawing the thin material upwards, though he stopped himself pulling it up any further when he reached her empire line.

He stared at her skin for a few moments, tracing a line over the scar with narrowed eyes, as though studying it.

This open scrutiny soon made Tifa grow nervous, and she began to fidget.

"Why are you staring at me like that?"

His gaze rose to meet hers, and on noticing her uncomfortable state, he smiled almost childishly.

"Are you blushing?"

She shrugged evasively.

"I don't know."

A short, deep chuckle sounded from his throat.

"You're adorable."

He smiled, and it seemed almost instinctively, pushed himself forward, placing his lips, softly over her own.

She felt like she should be fending him off**, **but she wasn't sure what to make of him now, he was acting so strangely, like something had happened to him, or he had figured something out which he was yet to share with her. The kiss was just as curious; it was warm, and almost delicate, as if it actually held some genuine affection.

_No, that can't be right..._

As he pulled away, the young male took note of her startled state.

"Sorry, you just looked very beautiful."

Her eyes narrowed as her disbelief heightened.

"Eh?"

"I've always thought you were a rather interesting specimen, for a commoner."

She cocked an eyebrow.

"Gee thanks..."

It appeared as though he ignored her comment, as he began to back away in silence, though when he started to undo the buttons on his own shirt Tifa couldn't help but let out a confused splutter.

"What, what are you doin-"

As the garment fell to the floor his icy gaze met with her own.

"I thought it was only fair, you showed me yours..."

Her eyes narrowed once again, though as they dropped to his chest they became wide and unblinking.

DIAMOND WEAPON had certainly left its mark.

She'd seen plenty of scars with the company she kept, though she'd never seen one like his before. It wasn't like one left by a sword, or bullet. No, this was something completely different. Some might have described it as ugly, or repulsive but she couldn't help but admire it, and it's owner.

Her gaze drew back up to his own, only to find him staring at the counter top beside her, his ice-blue eyes glazed as though he hadn't focused them on anything.

"Rufus?"

The male appeared to snap out of his dream-like state, as he flicked away a few of his silver-blonde strands.

"I'm not saying that I'm going to change."

He sighed and bent to pick up his shirt.

"I'm not even sure I can do what you're asking of me."

As he rose, and made to slip the garment back on, Rufus began to laugh with a self-inflicted disdain.

"I'm selfish, and I'm unkind. I don't _deserve_ to feel such genuine affection from you, or anyone for that-"

Tifa emitted an unimpressed grunt and cocked her head.

"What are you going on about?"

She exhaled and allowed her gaze to drift around the room as she spoke; leaving the male standing half-dressed and more than a little befuddled by her behaviour.

"Maybe if you weren't so scared of losing control of yourself, you'd realise I don't really care about that. I'm selfish too sometimes, and I know a can be a right bitch when I want to be. But at least I'm honest with myself. I'm not asking you to be fake, or put on unnecessary emotion..."

"But-"

Words seemed to fail him, as she drew up to him, and poked him softly in the forehead.

"Just stop _thinking_ so much."

She sighed and looked up at him as if he were nothing but a boy.

"Stop being _President Shinra_, just for a moment."

He was looking at her through widened eyes, as if she'd just told him that he should start wearing pink, frilly dresses and give 'commoners' free access to his home.

"If you try to control too much, you lose all the fun, all the love, all the joy, all the pain, everything. You lose what makes you _human_."

Her left hand enclosed around his own, as she pulled him in just that little bit closer.

"I don't expect you to be something you're not, but don't try to tell me you don't feel, because I know you do."

A small silence passed between them, before the young male huffed in an amazed disbelief.

"How do you do that?"

"Do what?"

He shook his head lightly, as his free hand rose and cupped her chin; his thumb tracing a line over her bottom lip.

"It doesn't matter..."

She opened her mouth to inquire again, but was instead met with his own lips.

His mouth was strangely warm, leaving tingling traces of heat on her skin as his lips moved against hers.

She could feel his teeth tug lightly upon her bottom lip, as his tongue tapped against it inquisitively; her own mouth more than happy to allow him entrance at this point and soon she was matching his intimacy stroke for stroke.

Tifa could only hum her approval, as his hand slipped up into her hair and her belly gave a thrilling flutter.

A kiss shouldn't feel this good right?

He was barely touching her, and yet she was feeling more excitement now then she had done up on the roof.

Rufus released her lips, and began attacking her throat with a series of fiery, open-mouthed kisses; this motion and his body backing her up against the counter.

Her head leant back to allow him better access, and her eyes fluttered shut, so as to enjoy every moment of this new pleasure he was giving her; soon finding herself fighting back a moan when his tongue slid over her pulse.

As the heat flooded through her whole body, she found her breaths coming in short gasps.

"I thought...you said...I was nothing...but a cheap distraction."

She could feel him smirk against her skin.

"I think you'll find you've been _very_ expensive."

With one hand holding her back, and the other hooking underneath her camisole to draw circles against her ribs, he turned his attention to her breasts, choosing an erect nipple and accepting it into his mouth through the material.

Tifa's breath hitched in her throat as her back arched in pleasure; her belly clenching tightly at the surge of pure, unadulterated excitation.

Every stroke of his tongue was causing heat to sear through her, causing her to shift restlessly underneath his touch. She bit her lip to keep from giving sound to any of the intensely consuming feelings rushing through her veins.

Unable to take it any more, she parted from his touch and hoisted herself up upon the counter so as to wrap her legs around his middle; the slight halt in their ministrations allowing a moment for a smirk to grace her lips.

Rufus looked at her questioningly.

"What is it?"

A soft blush graced her cheeks as she made to speak; her voice airing as nothing more than a whisper.

"Well, I just realised that I've never actually seen you naked..."

His brow cocked in amusement.

"I haven't seen you either though."

"True..."

He proceeded looked at her with such, absolute seriousness that Tifa's eyes widened in concern. Though she needn't have worried, as the words that followed from his lips were laced with the kind of intention that caused her skin to shiver delightfully and her breath to escape her completely.

"I think we should solve this predicament as soon as possible."

* * *

His fingertips trailed up and down her bare arm, causing the fine hairs to prickle at the tender sensation.

Tifa could feel his body heat radiate from his chest as he sat behind her, leaning against the headboard of her bed.

They had managed to make their way to the bedroom eventually, and now just lay in a comfortable silence; both lost in their own thoughts, and yet completely content to stay entwined together.

Eventually the young woman let out a distant sigh.

"You know this is complete insanity right?"

"Hm."

She smiled; his small response causing his skin to hum against her own.

"I might go and see Reno tomorrow..."

Tifa heard a huff of annoyance behind her, but he seemed to restrain him, even if when his voice aired it sounded rather awkward.

"I see..."

A moment passed before he made an addition.

"I'll come with you."

"You sure?"

He huffed once again, though this one seemed even more resolute in its irritation; that added with the slight tightening of his arms around her reminding Tifa of a jealous child.

"Absolutely."

* * *

A/N=

Argh! Sorry for how long this took to get out. I had a day all set aside to do it in and then I just woke up and felt like crap! I hate it when it happens, but it does...so I had to push back my work on this chapter to rest up XD But it's a nice lengthy chapter so I think I should be forgiven.

Anyway onto the chapter...

Well I was always gunna have trouble writing this one, mostly because I had to deal with bringing up some issues with Rufus...and let me tell you, it was a complete and utter NIGHTMARE! I was terrified throughout that I was somehow changing him into someone completely different...*sob* Hopefully it's ok...I literally spent an age deciding how to write this chapter...

I tried to convey him fighting with his feelings over her, and still not wanting to accept them as truly being 'real'

I know he may have appeared a little 'soft' in this chapter, but I did try very hard to keep him IC as much as possible whilst bringing out a more vulnerable/human side...hopefully it worked. I mean there is NO way him and Tifa were ever going to get anywhere with him acting the way he was. Though that doesn't mean he's suddenly going to become soft, but we shall be seeing him erm...'trying' to take things into consideration more... I'm gunna have even more fun writing him now XD Plus I do imagine that he had a good long think about what had taken place between them, and his misgivings in his drunkenness, plus there will be more information about his thought-process in later chapters X)

Oh and I couldn't help but have him do something creepy at the start XD sneaking into her house and just watching her sleep just seemed so 'Rufus' to me haha he just doesn't get other peoples boundaries...

I made a few call backs to earlier chapters if you hadn't noticed with "I thought you said I was nothing but a cheap distraction" which Rufus accused her of being to the builders when he first told her he was doing up her bar in chapter seven and "I don't like it when you cry" was meant to refer to his previous request for her not to cry during a confrontation in chapter twelve when he asked her to stop crying ^_^

If any of you were wondering about her scar, it's the one I imagine she received when Sephiroth sliced through her in the Mako Reactor, during the Nibelheim incident.

OH and don't worry, if you were erm..disappointed that you didn't see what happened between them between the last two sections, because it will come back later in flashback ^_^ well at least that's the intention, though I can't promise this because chapters might yet change a little, but I'm 99% sure- I was gunna put it in this one, but I really wanted to take my time with it, and I didn't want to delay this chapter any longer!

The next chapter is going to be VERY different from the ones I've been putting out of late...for one it's going to be in Reno's pov! Haha, and don't worry there is a good reason for this...in fact there are many good reasons for it, as the plot is about to get a little more 'action' orientated. I did say this fic was going to be thirty chapters long so I had to have a little climatic drama before the end right? Plus there are a lot of unresolved issues atm, a lot including Reno, so who better than to tell it!

Oh, and as most people who review know I always reply to the reviews, but I just wanted to thank all the anonymous reviewers XD So cheers for your support!


	27. Ch26: Uninvited Guests&Blurred Memories

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy does not belong to me...however much I may like it to. I own no characters, places etc. etc. so please don't sue me! I'm a nice person :)

Author's Note: Chapter Twenty-Six...PLEASE review as I really enjoy reading your views and they inspire me to get better! It would make me very very happy! Anyway stop reading this and get on with reading the fic! Hope you enjoy! :)

**Chapter Twenty-Six: Uninvited Guests and Blurred Memories**

He couldn't remember a time when he had felt this uncomfortable.

The tubes thrust into his arms weren't the problem. Nor was the breathing equipment that surrounded him in such a suffocating matter that its purpose seemed corrupted. He could even cope with the draining feeling circulating around his veins.

No, it all came down to the young male seated just beside him. His eyes a piercing, icy blue.

The President had been seated there for sometime. Just watching him with an unwavering expression.

Reno couldn't tell what the emotion was that lay etched upon his face, and a part of him felt better that way. Who would want to know what was going on in Rufus Shinra's mind anyway?

Minutes ticked by without a word; the only sound coming from the slow, steady beep of the machines hooked up beside the bed, and he wondered if this was suppose to be some sort of mental torture.

"So tell me Reno, what does Miss. Lockhart mean to you?"

The red head flinched ever so slightly at his Boss's unexpected utterance. Once he'd recovered he took note of what he was actually being asked and he couldn't help but be overcome with a concerned confusion.

"Excuse me?"

"What is she to you? Is she like a sister? A friend?-"

The young blonde paused, rolling his gaze around the room before directing it back to his employee.

"A lover?"

_What is he talking about? Is he being serious?_

"She is...well we're close."

"Hm."

That answer didn't seem to satisfy him at all, instead seemingly stirring his thoughts deeper into whatever hole they were falling.

Rufus exhaled lightly, before leaning back in his chair.

"I see."

The red head attempted to push himself up in his bed, though soon found his arms were too weakened to hold that much of his body weight, as he slumped back down onto the pillow. His aquamarine gaze flickered to the thin white bed-sheet laid across him; his fists clenching as he attempted to find his voice.

"And what is she to_ you_ Rufus?"

"A game."

Reno's finger nails dug into the skin of his palm as his fist tightened.

_He didn't even have to think about it..._

"One that I am going to _win_...and I'll get rid of any piece that's in the way of my victory."

The red headed patient couldn't without the primal snarl that rumbled from his lips.

"And what do you mean by that?"

"Oh nothing, nothing at all."

Rufus displayed an all to familiar smirk; one masquerading as something light-hearted and playful. As his finger nails began to draw blood from his own skin, Reno found he could no longer hold in his anger and revulsion at his Boss's behaviour.

"Tifa isn't stupid, and she's not a game!"

His voice was rough and shaky from lack of use, but he pushed on anyway.

"Do you really think she could care about someone like you!"

A still, and heavy silence fell around the two males like a blanket.

"I'd be careful what you say Reno."

The tension between them was growing with every passing second; each attempting to hold their ground in some sort of mental battle.

Footsteps could be heard echoing down the corridor outside, ringing closer and closer, yet neither male seemed to take much notice of them, until they came to a halt just outside the cubicle, and the door was pushed open.

A familiar young female entered, and Reno all but froze at the sight of her.

She seemed to do a double take as she came to realise just whom was in the room, and the way her eyes widened and glazed at the sight of Rufus made the red head's blood still.

"What...what are you doing here?"

Tifa's voice finally sounded; her tone almost weak, and shaky, perhaps even nervous.

Rufus's eyes narrowed slightly at Reno, before an unsettlingly smirk played across his lips as he slowly turned to face her.

"Do I need an excuse to visit my favourite Turk?"

Tifa's gaze flickered over to the red head questioningly, though he made a point to remain unmoved; he couldn't talk to her now, and even he knew that to cause a confrontation between her and Rufus would only result in trouble for the both of them.

Her attention soon drew back to the young blonde.

"I'd like a word...please."

Reno's inhaled sharply, had she actually just said that? Just what the hell had been going on in his absence?

"I'm listening."

"In private..."

_No Tifa..._

Rufus sighed, amusement seemingly flickering in his cold, blue eyes.

"Excuse me Reno, it seems Miss. Lockhart wishes you to be left out of this particular conversation."

He made to stand, before closing the distance between himself and Tifa; the young woman hesitating for a moment before following him out, though the last glance she stole at the red head went completely unnoticed by him as he concentrated his gaze on the opposite wall.

As the door came to a close behind her, Reno let out a long-held breath. His eyes narrowed; he didn't like dismissing her like that, but it couldn't be helped. He didn't know what on earth was going on, and he wasn't about to throw himself into something he didn't understand; not that he really even had a choice with the level of vulnerability his current condition imposed.

His memory of the past few months was hazy at best, and what he could remember didn't make he feel any more at ease. It was because of his own digging that he was lying in a hospital right now, sure it might not have been a direct assault, but there _was_ a chain of events. And it all started with Tifa.

Flashback

* * *

_Simple mission my ass..._

Reno's footsteps sounded lightly upon the tiled floor. The only light being the thin, pale glow radiating through the windows from the hanging night-time blanket of stars.

He hadn't had to do something like this in a long time. Undercover missions were fairly rare, especially for someone as noticeable as him; he was often pointed in the direction of the more 'brutal' tasks, where he held most of his skills. So he couldn't help but find himself in a bit of a unfamiliar position when it came to sleuthing around a medical research laboratory.

It was coming up to the end of his second week. His second week of playing the part of a research assistant. All for the sake of Shinra getting their hands on any new 'medical-development' that they had.

_You'd have thought they'd have found a more 'fitting' employee for this...Couldn't Hojo have any children other than Sephiroth?..._

A slow grimace spread across the red head's lips; the image of hundreds of mini Hojo's running about Shinra flashing through his mind.

_Ok...maybe not..._

He continued through the labyrinth of cold, white corridors, until he came to a rather pristine-looking glass door; leading into the same laboratory cubicle in which he had been working for the last seven days of his placement.

As he stepped over the threshold, he felt a shiver trail up his spine.

The facility wasn't a comfortable place to be, and now, seeing it at night-time, empty and flooded with strange shadows, Reno could see why such places were so often referred to as being 'creepy'.

He circled around the various work stations until he came to the back of the room, where there were two connected short-corridors, leading to the cubicle's personal storage space.

Reno let out a small yelp as he rounded the corner to the left store; coming face to face with a rack of petri dishes. After taking a moment to steady himself he let out a self-directed sigh of embarrassment.

_This place sure is harder to navigate in the dark..._

He reached into his pocket and drew out a folded sheet of paper; soon opening it to reveal a list of chemical-sounding names.

"Now let's check out you babies..."

The red head began marking off each name as he scanned the various trays of dishes, though as he neared the the third rack his brow furrowed.

"Well now, who are you?"

He carefully slide the tray towards him, though as his fingers reached out to make contact with the unmarked petri dish, a loud bang sounded from the window beside him; no doubt caused by some poorly sighted bird or tree branch. The unexpected sounded caused the red head to go into defence mode, with the tray being totally forgotten, though of course this meant that there were no hands holding it in place, and soon enough it slid from its shelf, with every petri dish upon it falling to the floor with a shattering clatter.

The reaction was immediate, as Reno hung his head in exasperation.

"Bollocks."

He tried to cover his mouth and nose with the cuff of his sleeve as he made to bend down and inspect the remnants, though as he got closer, he began to feel rather odd; as though he was being surrounded by a mist of hot, muggy air.

_Well this can't be good..._

His eyes gave a sharp, strange pang as he attempted to steady his senses, and before he could rise and remove himself from the field of danger, he found his body rapidly falling asleep on him and within moments he was sprawled out on the cold, tiled floor with a pair of feet slowly treading towards him.

* * *

Flashback End

After that everything got a little muddled, but he should have been more careful.

He didn't know how he'd gotten cut, or bruised but he could only imagine it was from his fall, though the fact that he could not remember anything from his time in the laboratory, to when he awoke in the hospital bed worried him and then there were those feet...

Part of him thought he might have imagined it, but that didn't sit right with him either.

The rest of his condition was a mystery to him. Most of the doctor's were keeping quiet as to what was happening to him, and whenever he tried to get any kind of information out of them they'd just say they couldn't confirm anything.

He couldn't help but wonder if Rufus had purposefully asked them to refrain from answering any of his questions. It wouldn't surprise him. Reno had learned in the last few years of his career to be more than wary of his Boss; true, he wasn't one to kiss ass, but that didn't mean he didn't know that some people required a certain amount of respect.

He didn't know what to do. Should he ask Tifa? Would she even want to talk to him? What if something _had_ happened with her and Rufus?

That thought scared him. More than it should have. The fact that something of such magnitude, as to make his Boss act the way he had, might have happened between the two of them was a very unsettling thought. Especially now that he was powerless to do anything.

Reno scrunched his eyes shut and buried his head as far into his pillow as possible; right now sleep was the only thing that was going to release him. He couldn't think about them any more. All he could do was hope that Tifa was smart enough to stay away from both him and Rufus.

* * *

His slumber was not a comfortable one; though he was used to that by now.

What he wasn't used to was dreaming of his Boss.

Rufus's voice seemed to resonant around his ears with a soft reality.

"_Why does she care about you? You're just as despicable as me..."_

The familiar arrogance was gone, though there was a bitterness about his tone.

"_So what is it? Where am I going wrong?"_

A sigh of aggravation sounded from the male.

"_I just don't understand her..."_

Reno tried to force his lids to open, though only received a slight flicker of vision before passing back into the depths of sleep, though he was almost certain what he had seen was not some drug-induced hallucination or dream; the sight of one's Boss, rain-soaked and slumped against the wall was not something one just imagined.

* * *

When he finally awoke, Reno found a unfamiliar doctor inside his cubicle, busily fiddling with the array of dips beside him.

He didn't know how long he'd been asleep, but he felt a little funny; almost as if he'd been drugged up. His eyelids were unnaturally heavy, and even though he knew he'd had more than enough sleep he felt as though he'd been on a ten mile run.

Reno turned his head a little and tried to focus in on the doctor; his vision dulled slightly by a combination of just coming out of slumber, and whatever was being pumped into his system.

He could barely make out the male's face, though what seemed starkly obvious was that he had a black eye.

"Are you sure you don't need a doctor yourself?"

Although his voice was croaky and weak, the doctor seemed to pick up on his words perfectly and chuckled; the laughter being somewhat off putting rather than comforting. When he didn't make to respond further Reno spoke up again.

"Are you new? I don't think I've seen you before..."

The man shrugged.

"Oh, I'm nobody really."

He drew closer to the bed and without warning slid a needle into the red head's arm. The pain didn't bother Reno, but the way the doctor was acting just wasn't _right._

"What...what are you doing?"

The unknown male flashed a really overly-warm smile.

"Just taking a sample."

_A sample? A sample of what?_

The Doctor turned his back on the red head and began doing something out of his line of sight.

Reno was now feeling incredibly uneasy, and when he heard voices coming from the outside corridor will almost willed to whomever they belonged to come inside. He didn't want to be alone with this guy.

**"Oh and in the mean time I'd keep away from Yuffie if I were you."**

_Wait, I know that voice..._

**"Really, and why so?"**

He knew that voice too, and all of a sudden he wasn't so sure if he wanted them as visitors anymore.

**"Do you really need a reason?"**

The door opened with a small creak and in walked Rufus and Tifa; the pair falling into a dead silence as the door shut behind them. though that was not through any nervousness or politeness but rather because the Doctor had turned back.

With a gun pointed straight at them.

"Now you are all going to do exactly as I say."

* * *

A/N= *Looks around shamefully* yeah...sorry about the lateness of this *continues to avoid eye contact* I kinda got distracted...and then something else distracted me from my previous distraction... It was a terrible circle of distraction...ness

But on a high note I got into university! *Does the dance of joy* I'm going to be studying 'Computer Gaming and Animation Technology' XD Maybe one day I can work on a Final Fantasy Game *sighs at the thought* one with lots and lots of Rufus in...muahahahahaha

And thank Shinra people liked the last chapter XD I was traumatising myself before I posted it, but you guys all seemed to enjoy a drunken Rufus hehe my hit monitor went from 8 to 58 in 12 hours...I think that's the quickest rise I've had so far! And overall my story went from having 80 hits to 692...I was pretty happy X) So thanks a bunch of bananas you fans of RufusxTifa goodness!

Now onto the chapter!

I basically hate this chapter...mostly because it didn't come out as I thought it would and the fact that I did rush it because I knew how long it had been since I updated. Plus it's very short, but it happens every now and then and this is more of a bridge-chapter for the next section of the story. I can promise that the next one will be longer, and much, much better ^_^ With lots and lots of RufusxTifa goodness!

So a Reno pov chapter! I thought it would be nice and refreshing to get his opinion and have a little break from the heavy RufusxTifa stuff (not that there's anything wrong with it XD)

I'm sorry if some of this didn't make much sense but it'll all come together in the next chapter XD though maybe you can guess who that Doctor is ^_^

The bit where Reno thinks he can see/hear Rufus during his sleep is actually meant to take place after the 'Roof' incident, but before Rufus goes to Tifa's flat, so he may or may not be drunk, but it's just meant to show him in his confused state after what happened with her.

Oh and remember Rufus's 'view' on Tifa when he talks to Reno at the beginning of this chapter is before anything that happened between the two in the last two chapters so obviously _some_ things have changed.


	28. Ch27: Pointed Guns and Jealous Boys

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy does not belong to me...however much I may like it to. I own no characters, places etc. etc. so please don't sue me! I'm a nice person :)

Author's Note: Chapter Twenty-Seven...PLEASE review as I really enjoy reading your views and they inspire me to get better! It would make me very very happy! Anyway stop reading this and get on with reading the fic! Hope you enjoy! :)

**Chapter Twenty-Seven: Pointed Guns and Jealous Boys**

Reno drew in a breath as quietly as he could, as he attempted to lift himself into a more comfortable position on the bed; the small motion gaining a sharp, threatening glare from the 'Doctor'.

Being held captive was not the most desirable situation at the best of times, but being held captive by someone who was presenting himself as more and more unstable with every passing second was definitely pushing the tension to a whole new level.

No-one had said anything for hours now. They'd just sat there. Waiting, though for what exactly he wasn't sure. Trying to ask their captor anything only resulted in inaudible mumblings; it seemed even he hadn't planned for this particular turn of events and now the only thing he could come up with was to hold them there until a solution presented itself.

He just paced up and down the room, but although he seemed lost in his own little world, his trigger finger was ready and waiting to for the chance to bury a bullet in each one of them.

Reno was used to being in dangerous situations, but the thought that he'd gotten Tifa involved in this was something he couldn't stand. Especially since this felt undeniably like his fault.

* * * Flashback * * *

The brunette seemed to recoil in place as she took in the scene before her. Her companion on the other hand appeared, as always, completely composed.

The threat of death seemed to take no effect on him whatsoever, though Reno thought there was something of a darkening within his usually cold, blue eyes.

"Now you are all going to do exactly as I say."

There was an uneasy silence before the only calm male there, took a small, firm step forwards; flicking a strand of hair from his eyes in a typical 'Rufus' style.

"And why would we do that?"

Their captor chuckled in a rather unhinged fashion.

"Well I've got the gun pointed at your chest so I'm feeling like I could pretty much get you to do what the fuck I like."

Tifa's faltering gaze darted over to the red head, her voice soft, almost forced, as if fighting an internal choke-hold.

"Reno...what's going-"

The unknown male swung his gun around to the young woman, his wrist beginning to shake with a degree of frustration.

"HEY! Did I say you could talk?"

Tifa scowled; her gaze narrowing intensely as she battled between her feelings of fear and complete detestation. After taking a moment to untie the knot deep within her stomach, the young female took a deep breath and latched gazes with the unstable male, before speaking as calmly as she could manage under the circumstances.

"_Why are you here?_"

Their gun-wielding captor displayed a somewhat sarcastic smile before drawing his sharpened gaze towards the red head.

"Your little friend here stole something from me."

The young brunette seemed to forget their situation for a moment as she turned to scowl disapprovingly at her friend.

"Reno!"

The young Turk's eyes widened; the expression likened to that of a child after being caught at the scene of some unauthorised ice-cream consumption by a rather disapproving parent.

"No I didn't! I couldn't have..."

He turned his desperate gaze on his accuser.

"I've never even seen you before!"

The 'Doctor' took two large strides over to the red head's bedside and made roll his eyes over the various monitors and tubes in a rather pointed manner, murmuring under his breath as he did so.

"But you've seen my work.."

And then dawned on Reno; this man's 'work' was inside him.

The 'Doctor' ran his free hand over his forehead; his breathing becoming more and more laboured as he began to lose whatever control he had on his already shaky composure.

"I had hoped this would be simple. I've already taken your blood...I just had to give you a little something to make that lovely work of mine finish you off...it was all going to be **so** damn simple...BUT THEN **YOU TWO** HAD TO GO AND MESS IT ALL UP!"

* * * Flashback End * * *

Reno bent his head back onto the pillows. He knew his mistakes would one day come back to bite him in the arse.

_I suppose this is where being clumsy gets you..._

Yes, this really did feel like it was all his fault.

* * *

The silence that hung around them was suffocating her. She was certain the whole room could hear her heart beat; the heavy thud, thud, thud against her chest seemed to reverberate in her head with an almost painful mockery.

Both her and Rufus were seated, rather uncomfortably, upon the cold, tiled floor. Half of her wanted to fall asleep from the stillness of it all, though the adrenaline that pumped through her veins put a stop to her getting any reprieve.

Tifa tilted her head back slightly; her warm, crimson-tinted gaze soon finding Reno's form. He was just as motionless as them, though her current position left little other to be observed as the angle made to cut any view of his face.

Her heart gave a dull pang as her eyes drifted back towards the floor.

Why hadn't any other hospital staff come to check on Reno already? Had this 'Doctor' done something? Or was this because of Rufus? Perhaps they had learnt of his visit and had chosen not to disturb him? Either way the feeling of isolation was growing with every passing second of silence.

Their captor's breath was the only thing that cut through the air with its constant, almost rhythmic inhalation; the heaviness of his outward breath creating a low rumble which seemed to vibrate through the atmosphere itself.

Tifa curled her bottom lip between her teeth, beginning to chew softly; her eyes gliding across the pristine white tiles.

She hadn't made eye contact with Rufus since they'd made their entrance, and he had not made any effort to get her attention. Not even once.

What was he thinking? Surely he, the President of Shin-Ra, could get them out of this? Didn't he have other Turks at his command? Couldn't he send some secret message by pushing the big red panic button in his jacket pocket like they did in the movies?

For someone with so much pride in himself, he sure was playing the coward now. She wanted to ask him why. Why he hadn't even _tried_. The closer she got to him, the less she understood; a recurring pattern with this man.

_And I thought we'd finally made some progress..._

* * *

She was beginning to lose all feeling in her butt now.

_This is ridiculous. How long are we just going to sit here for?_

Her face crinkled as she attempted to reposition herself. That immediately appeared to be a mistake however as the small, really rather insignificant movement drew their captor's gaze.

"What did I tell you about moving?"

"I'm sorry, I just-"

"I told you DON'T MOVE!"

The male took a step towards her; forcing Tifa to push herself harder against the wall in instinctive defence whilst the gun's barrel shook unsteadily in its owner's over-zealous grip.

"Damn it, stay still!"

The cold metal blurred into a grey mass before her eyes at it drew ever closer.

It had been a while since Tifa had felt such a stillness in her heart. It was something one could only experience when faced with the real possibility of imminent death. This man could end her life at any point, and she'd be gone. She wouldn't even have time to scream.

"Maybe I should just shoot you and be done with it..."

His voice echoed in her like a whisper, as though his lips were but an inch from her ear.

She couldn't move for the sheer tension weighting on her body, like a great, black mass surrounding her. Part of her warned to leap forward lay one of her trademark punches straight into his gut. Though of course there was the other part of her that refused to move no matter how much she willed it to. Her eyes began to glaze over as her fear overtook the need to blink. It felt like she was being choked by her own internal strain and no matter how hard she tried to, she couldn't seem to take a breath.

"Don't! She's got nothing to do with this."

Tifa jarred out of her paralysis with an unpleasant chill, as her skin began to release all its withheld shivers. Reno's voice had broken through the silence, and now their captor had turned his gun on him.

"You know this is all your fault!"

Reno's aquamarine gaze fell to his blanket.

"If you had just kept out of my business then things would be so much easier! You Shin-Ra lot think you own everything don't you! You're just a bunch of-"

Tifa wasn't listening any more.

Why hadn't Rufus said anything? Why hadn't he tried to stop the gun? Wasn't he suppose to care what happened to her?

She turned her head ever so slightly to glance at her silent companion, though what she found was not what she had expected.

He was staring straight at her. Blank, frozen. Scared? In fact, he looked like she had _felt_ a few moments ago.

* * *

"If you had just kept out of my business then things would be so much easier! You Shin-Ra lot think you own everything don't you! You're just a bunch of filthy, degenerate-"

Reno's brow furrowed as he scrunched his eyes shut in some attempt to deflect the verbal onslaught.

-stinking low-lives!"

_You're one to talk..._

The young Turk couldn't help but think this 'Doctor' was a little too self-righteous for someone whose 'work' seemed to be nothing but a destructive, torturous weapon.

The unnamed male continued in his rant, though by now it appeared as if no-one was listening.

The outside corridor seemed to have darkened somewhat, though it was hard for Reno to tell if it was from poor weather or if night had begun to fall. His cubicle blinds were always drawn shut, though one of the slats seemed to have become detached from the rest of the fitting and left a small, thin window to the outside. The pale, grey light poured through and left a trail through the shadows.

His eyes travelled over the fallen light and soon came to the two people sitting upon the floor. They were staring at each other. Just staring.

Why had she come here with _him _anyway. He couldn't understand it. It wasn't like he had just escorted her. No. When they had arrived they had been laughing, talking, _enjoying themselves_.

* * *

Tifa could swear that she knew this guy.

Something about him seemed so familiar, but not in a particularity pleasant way. Had she served him at the bar once? No. Had she ran into him at Shin-Ra Headquarters? No, that couldn't be it either; she doubted very much that he would try to infiltrate that building. He clearly wasn't the most 'slick' of characters. After all he had practically fallen apart from the moment herself and Rufus had entered. He hadn't even thought up an alternative plan in case something unexpected happened.

_Someone like him would never have survived in AVALANCHE..._

That being said, there was little she could do. He had a gun and he was unstable. That was always a dangerous combination. If she tried to defend herself, he could end up shooting Reno or Rufus and she wasn't confident in her abilities to protect them.

_I've been out of the fight too long._

"Mr Shin-Ra, you've been very quiet."

She blinked rapidly as she forced herself to refocus.

Rufus slowly drew his gaze up to the 'Doctor' with an almost placid confidence.

"Well Miss. Lockhart and myself just walked in on you and Reno here. It seems your business is with him, so they'd be little reason for me to get in your way. Though I would appreciate it if you'd hurry up with whatever it is you're doing...this is hardly how I wanted to spend my day."

The young brunette threw her companion a heated glare.

"What the hell is wrong with you!"

Rufus's gaze faltered for a second, but narrowed soon after.

"Nothing is wrong with me Miss. Lockhart. What I said is perfectly correct. He didn't come here for us so why should we get involved?"

_'Miss. Lockhart'...Hadn't we passed that already?_

If she hadn't have thought it would only make the situation worse, she may very well have head-butted him.

"How many times do I have to say this! He's your Turk! And he's my friend! I thought you understood that I care-"

"Well maybe it's time you began to think with your head, instead of leaving everything up to how you **feel**."

The young woman slammed her palm down upon the icy tiles; her anger overtaking her fear, or even awareness of their captor.

"Do you really still believe that feelings are a weakness? We talked about this damn it!"

Rufus was practically seething. His fists clenched tightly at his sides as if his insides were boiling.

"Are you saying...my life isn't as important to you as _his_?"

_What? Does he think I'm not just as worried about him? Does he think I don't care?_

Her brow furrowed in a mixture of confusion and embarrassment, though her pause must of looked like more of a falter. Something her companion didn't fail to notice as he let out a low, almost primal growl.

"Why..."

"Why what?"

"Why is it **ALWAYS** Reno!"

* * *

A/N= I'm a bad, bad girl...

This took way too long to post...and I don't really have much to say in my defence, I just had reeeaalllllyyyy really bad writers laziness. It's a very serious condition. I feel lucky not to have lost any limbs to this terrible disease. Though on a plus point I bought a new messenger bag, and it's black leather with the Shinra Logo printed in gold on the flap *smiles* its soooo pretty.

Hopefully I'll get the next update posted before my birthday in August XD plus all my friends are away over my birthday and the two weeks before it, so I'll have a lot of free time...

So onto the chapter!

I've actually split this chapter into two parts because it got a little too long and I really wanted to work a bit more on the second half and I didn't want you guys to have to wait any longer than you already have! The next chapter will also be significantly longer ^_^ and there's a possibility of mature content so you have been warned.

I really wanted to create the right atmosphere for their situation; the fear Tifa was feeling and the annoyance/irritation of being in such a situation and not having any control.

I wanted this chapter to feel disjointed and there not to be a real sense of time or the world outside Reno's cubicle because in this situation they wouldn't really be able to keep track of anything. That's why I had them jumping from Reno's POV to Tifa's. I wanted to keep Rufus's train of thought private for now seeing as the next chapter is going to be completely in his POV ^_^

Which brings us to Rufus. Yes, Rufus was back to his old self here ^_^ although I did say that he wasn't gunna go all squishy and limp like a trampled pansy XD I think he's still very much 'President Shinra' at this point, and although he's 'worked out' stuff with Tifa, he's still 'him'.

Reviewers are always commenting on the jealous issue between Rufus and Reno concerning Tifa and I just had to let that come to the boil here. XD The next chapter will, like I said, be in Rufus's POV so we'll get down to the nitty gritty details of him, Tifa and Reno.

And if you were wondering why the 'Doctor' didn't just shoot Reno, Tifa and Rufus and get out of there, Rufus is the President of Shinra so killing him would be rather serious, and if he shot all three of them it would of course look like murder (his original plan obviously looking quite natural under the circumstances) so he'd have less chance of getting away and would probably be pursued relentlessly.

Oh and the last line was actually taken from a review by Bluejay917 ^_^ as soon as I read it I knew I just had to use it!


	29. Ch28: Old Wounds and Intimate Mornings

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy does not belong to me...however much I may like it to. I own no characters, places etc. etc. so please don't sue me! I'm a nice person :)

Author's Note: Chapter Twenty-Eight...PLEASE review as I really enjoy reading your views and they inspire me to get better! It would make me very very happy! Anyway stop reading this and get on with reading the fic! Hope you enjoy! :)

**Chapter Twenty-Eight: Old Wounds and Intimate Mornings****  
**

His icey-blue gaze drifted over her still form as she sat, huddled, head nestled in her knees. If he hadn't known better he might have assumed she was sleeping. But of course that would never happen. She was too distressed.

Worrying about _him. _

What was so great about that worthless red head anyway?

He just couldn't fathom why she still needed to come here. Or why she cared so much about the Turk's well-being.

Wasn't it obvious that he, Rufus Shinra, could offer her _so much more?_

Wasn't she suppose to have chosen _him?_

"Mr Shin-Ra, you've been very quiet."

Rufus made no initial attempt to acknowledge the young man. He wasn't important. He was just a nuisance. And if there wasn't the high possibility that this nuisance could cost him his life, he might have ignored it. That being said, he wasn't quite ready to beg for mercy either.

"Well Miss. Lockhart and myself just walked in on you and Reno here. It seems your business is with him, so they'd be little reason for me to get in your way. Though I would appreciate it if you'd hurry up with whatever it is you're doing...this is hardly how I wanted to spend my day."

He could feel the anger radiating off his companion but he really couldn't bring himself to care. She was in the wrong here. She should just hurry up and realise it. The red head was ruining everything; he wanted Tifa for himself.

And that just wasn't acceptable.

Tifa was _his _now.

"What the hell is wrong with you!"

Was there something wrong with him? _No. _He _was_ right.

"Nothing is wrong with me Miss. Lockhart. What I said is perfectly correct. He didn't come here for us so why should we get involved?"

Why should he risk his life for that pitiful excuse for a Turk. He hadn't even done his job right. It was _all his fault_. He had gotten what he deserved.

"How many times do I have to say this! He's your Turk! And he's my friend! I thought you understood that I care-"

He could practically feel his blood begin to burn beneath his skin.

"Well maybe it's time you began to think with your head, instead of leaving everything up to how you **feel**."

Her palm hit the floor with a tremendous force, but he refused to be fazed. She just didn't understand. She was run by her emotions.

"Do you really still believe that feelings are a weakness? We talked about this damn it!"

Of course they were a weakness. Look at what they'd reduced him too. He was barely able to breathe.

"Are you saying...my life isn't as important to you as _his_?"

His attention sharpened as he waited for her answer, but her eyes flickered and her lips parted without a word escaping.

She was faltering.

_Damn it._

"Why..."

His clenched fists tightened and his fingernails dug deep within the skin of his palm as he felt his chest clench painfully from the sheer frustration raging through his body.

"Why what?"

"Why is it ALWAYS Reno!"

* * *

The moment of silence that descended upon the room was deafening. It felt like they were going through a tunnel; the air growing heavy to such a degree it was almost crushing.

Tifa's widened eyes blinked in rapid succession.

"What...what do you mean?"

The young male just glared at the floor, squeezing his fist one more time before exhaling a deep, long-held breath. He _had_ to restrain himself.

"Rufus?"

A loud bang sounded from the opposite side of the room as the 'Doctor' hit the edge of the hospital bed with the side of his gun.

Apparently he didn't quite appreciate their little outburst.

"Listen, I've had just about enough of you two, now_ stay still and keep quiet!_"

His teeth were gritted as he spoke; it wasn't hard to notice the last few remaining threads of control breaking about this man.

Personally Rufus would have liked nothing more than to have this man tortured for his insolence. And he would be at some point. There was no doubt about that; no one could run from Shin-Ra.

Unless he took out the Turk, then Rufus might just make an exception.

But at that moment there was nothing he could do. He hated being so_powerless_, and usually he would have taken the time to berate the 'Doctor' by now, but the raw, stronger feelings brewing within him right now were more than enough to take over.

The young President slumped back against the wall, very much in the manner of a child who had just been sent to his room.

He could sense_ her_ eyes on him, but he purposefully ignored her. She didn't deserve his attention.

A fast, rhythmic ringing sounded from the 'Doctor's' pocket; the male looking just as surprised by the noise as the room's other occupants. He promptly reached inside his jacket and pulled out a mobile phone; staring at it for a few moments as if it might explode in his hand.

Everyone knew mobiles weren't to be used in hospitals, but somehow Rufus already knew that rule wasn't going to be of much use here.

He seemed to snap out of his stupor and answered the device, bringing it quickly up to his ear. His words were rather inaudible, but at least he was distracted from them now.

The young female edged ever so slightly closer to her companion; her breath playing teasing on his cheek making it rather harder for him to ignore her.

"Rufus, what-"

"Just be quiet."

His voice was low, almost too quiet to hear, but his words were very clear.

He'd had enough.

Though apparently, she hadn't.

"Listen, I'm not one of your workers, you can't just tell me to shut up."

He shrugged lightly.

"Well I just did."

He heard a soft huff from the female beside him.

_Must she always find annoyance in everything I do..._

Couldn't she just let him be? It seemed to Rufus that he was never really going to be good enough in her eyes.

He didn't want to be more emotional, or open. There wasn't a need. So why did she insist on it? Was Reno so able to please her in that respect?

What was so wrong with him? He was an object of _perfection_. Surely he was everything that Turk wasn't; successful, powerful, stylish, ambitious, refined, eloquent. He could give her the world. But of course that wouldn't satisfy this woman.

Maybe that's why he wanted her so much.

The President drifted his gaze up towards the hospital bed, only to find the red head staring straight at him; brow lowered and his usually glowing eyes darkened.

Seemingly he wasn't too happy about the President's earlier outburst the fact that Tifa was resting herself so close to him.

_How interesting..._

A smirk curled its way onto the young male's lips, as he ran a few fingers through his silver blonde hair.

He slowly slid his hand over to Tifa's leg; the sensational quickly gaining her attention.

"Rufus what-"

She soon silenced herself when his free hand took possession of her cheek. If he'd had the time, or inclination, he might have marvelled at the softness of her skin, or the warm that flushed beneath his finger tips as he caressed her.

He flickered his gaze between her and the red head, before pulling the young woman towards him; bring his lips to meet hers in a rather intimate fashion.

Rufus could practically hear the red head's jaw drop and when he finally released his companion, he was smiling in a type of triumph.

Turning towards the hospital bed, he eyed the patient with a restrained delight.

"Is there a problem?"

Instead of kicking off at the young President like he had anticipated, the red head turned his anger on Tifa; disbelief laying heavy in his voice.

"Did you- Are you _with _him?"

Rufus cocked an eyebrow mockingly.

"Does that bother you?"

The young woman shook her head, desperate to quell the already brewing confrontation, even though she was more than a little confused by the situation herself.

"Reno, it's not-"

"I can't believe this. What were you thinking? He's- you've always hated him!"

"Listen, let me explain-"

"What the fuck have you been doing Tif?"

A deep chuckled resonated from Rufus. This was most amusing.

Unfortunately, his companion didn't agree as she turned to him with a sudden realisation; one that was ladled with disgust.

"Is this what all this has been about? Your jealousy?"

The Turk pulled himself up a little; nodding in an almost comical exaggeration.

"Well of course it is! He's like this Tifa, you should have-"

The young President sighed.

_Now that's enough of that..._

"Excuse me, but you seem to have forgotten you're my _employee_; you should think more carefully about your behaviour. Are you really so ignorant as to think she'd ever choose _you_?"

"You are one step away _Sir._"

"You're hardly in a position to threaten me, Turk. You're barely able to breath-"

Tifa groaned in a deep frustration.

"You two are such children!"

She quickly slumped off to the side; turning her face away from the pair of squabbling men. Though that didn't bother Rufus. He was more interested in riling up the red head, who seemed more than willing to comply.

"I bet you black mailed her into this didn't you?"

"Oh, don't be so absurd. She just wants me; clearly a reality that you can't handle. See Miss. Lockhart, I think you'll find he's the one that's jealo-"

When he turned to the young woman, he found she wasn't even paying attention; instead she was staring at the 'Doctor' with a certain concentration.

"What is it?"

"I don't know- wait a second..."

"Tifa-"

"I don't believe it...that idiot."

Her tone was whispered, and much to his surprise, hinted at amusement.

Rufus took a moment to observe her, though the only conclusion he could come to did nothing to clam his confusion.

"You- do you _know _him?

She turned to face him with brightened eyes, as if she'd figured out the answer to a very hard question; the previous argument forgotten for a moment in light of her discovery.

"He's that _stupid_, fool of a doctor that I knocked out! Isn't that-"

As she swung back to look at her captor her voice vanished; he was staring straight at her.

Apparently he hadn't been on the phone for the last few seconds of their conversation.

She swallowed hard and a nervous laughter hummed in her throat.

"He seems a lot more intimidating now that he has a gun."

The 'Doctor' took a step forwards, his eyes narrowing, though not in anger but rather smirk taunting/jeering

"I thought you seemed familiar. You were the one asking all those questions about the Turk. Hm."

Before the young woman could take another breath, he had crossed the room, grabbing her roughly by the collar and lifting her up, slamming her body back into the wall; knocking the air out of her in an abrupt crack.

Tifa's eyes widened as she tried to compose herself; her mind still catching up with the what had just happened. Who knew this man could move so fast?

He took a couple of deep, almost laboured breaths, before smirking; his lips curling almost too sharply.

"Well it's only fair now isn't it."

The 'Doctor' turned his face slightly to display the extent of the black-blue bruising around his eye which had served as such a mind jog for Tifa before.

"An eye for an eye, right?"

Reno's voice shot through the air.

"Don't you touch her!"

"I'll do what I like _Turk_."

"I swear I'll-"

Rufus tightened his fist as he listened to his rival continue with his warnings.

_Oh, I don't think so..._

If anyone was going to protect Tifa, it would be him. He wasn't going to let that red head take all the praise.

The young President shifted into action without a second thought, charging towards the 'Doctor' with full force; intending to knock him down with one, swift blow.

Regrettably, it seemed his movements hadn't been as quick, or as unnoticed as he would have liked.

Who'd have thought this man would be able to connect a punch directly against his weapon scar?

The first thing he felt was a dull internal ache in his side, before a white-hot pain shot through his body with a most incapacitating force.

He'd forgotten just how excruciating a thing it was to endure; but then he only had himself to blame. It was there to remind him after all.

And that was something Tifa would never understand.

* * * Flashback * * *

He combed his fingers back through few of his silver-blonde strands; now slick with beads of sweat. The female lay shuddering beneath him, her skin still connected with his own and radiating a most exquisite heat.

This had been more intimate than before. And it was strange. He wasn't used to it being like this. There was such _affection_ in it. Every touch, every breath, it all _meant _something. Part of him felt so uncomfortable with the clearness of it all; like he'd just revealed everything he'd ever hoped to keep hidden.

He couldn't tell if he liked it or not.

Rufus threw himself back against the pillows, and almost instinctively drew her up to rest against his chest.

None of this made sense. Is this really what people did when they were together? Was this what was going to be expected of him?

They lay there for a few moments in silence, waiting for the heartbeats to calm and their bodies to cool. It took him a while to notice that he was brushing his fingertips up and down her arm.

Why was he doing that?

She sighed.

It sounded contented; he liked that.

"You know this is complete insanity right?"

He hummed in agreement, but only because he didn't know what else to say. She was right, of course. How was this ever going to work?

But then, he could no longer entertain the idea of her being with someone, _anyone_ else and not being _his _anymore.

Because that's what she was now; _his_.

"I might go and see Reno tomorrow..."

He huffed. Why did that _Turk_ have to come into everything? He always seemed to be getting in the way; ruining the moment.

_Pest... _

But then, hadn't he agreed to be more 'understanding'? So maybe this came into that; maybe he was suppose to suddenly understand her need to care about that red head.

"I see..."

A short silence followed, before he added resolutely.

"I'll come with you."

"You sure?"

Of course he was sure. This was no debate. This woman was unreadable to the extreme. Who knew what could happen if she went there alone? That employee of his could devastate everything.

"Absolutely."

Rufus tightened his grip around her body; pulling her closer against him.

Oh yes, he was _very_ sure.

* * *

His mouth felt dry, and the sunlight playing against him wasn't helping.

Waking up was usually different than this. But then, he usually awoke _alone_.

The male drifted his gaze over to the form beside him; her shape curled around the duvet as she stayed deep within the thralls of slumber.

Well this was new. He couldn't recall a time he'd ever woken up to find a naked young woman next to him. All his other 'companions' had been politely kicked off the premises once he'd had his enjoyment. After all they weren't there for anything else.

And yet here he was, next to a really quite unremarkable woman, in _her _bed. So why didn't he want to leave?

"I must be losing my mind."

She stirred, the small utterance from him disturbing her enough to cause her to turn, before cuddling up against him; quickly returning to her sleepy state.

He froze.

What was he suppose to do?

He hesitantly drew his arm around her front, resting it on her hip from a brief moment before quickly withdrawing it back to his side.

The movement seemed to rouse the young woman, as she shifted beneath the covers, before raising her head; a small blush appearing on her cheeks upon realising her companion was awake, and she was very much nuzzling him.

"Hey..."

Her voice was light, as if her voice had yet to fully return to her.

A smile crept onto his lips.

"Good morning."

Tifa turned away again, her hair falling in front of her face like a mask.

"I look bad in the mornings..."

Ah he'd heard about this. Many of the women that worked in his office were always going on about it; the hideousness. He was almost scared to look.

The male pulled himself up against the headboard; massaging his shoulders as he yawned.

"Yes, maybe you should go and shower or something; sort yourself out."

"Hm..."

There was annoyance in her tone, but he could almost hear amusement there also; as if she'd expected such a response.

She slid off the bed, picking up a spare towel hanging over a nearby radiator, before wrapping it around her bare form.

Rufus's heart sank a little.

_Well that's a shame..._

His now covered companion began walking towards the bathroom, a yawn now escaping her own lips.

"Well I suppose we should get ready to go..."

Confusion crossed the young man's face.

"Go?"

"To the hospital, remember?"

* * *

The car hummed gently as it rolled along the grey, rain-stained road.

It was quiet, but not uncomfortable. In fact the air almost felt 'warm'. He wasn't used to being in such an atmosphere, especially with her; it was nice.

He drew his attention over to his companion, whom seemed to be busily fiddling with her clothes; was she nervous? Whatever the reason, he couldn't quite stop himself smiling at the activity.

Tifa's gaze rose and as their eyes met, her lips quirked into a smile, though her eyes quickly darted back to her lap.

The silence only remained for a moment longer, as her fidgeting stopped.

"Before you asked me 'how do you do that'..."

She paused before as she returned her crimson-tinted gaze to his once again; now hooded with curiosity.

"What did you mean?

_Hm._

He wouldn't have thought she'd ever remember such a thing. But then, she did seem to enjoy surprising him.

The male shrugged; a sigh escaping his throat masking the slight nervousness he felt at his answer.

"Just...you talk so freely. About your feelings, about others feelings, what you see... it's just- you do it so easily."

His gaze drew to the window, as if he was talking more to himself than to her.

"It must be quite a freedom."

If he'd been looking, he might have seen her view him with what some might have assumed to be pity.

"You could do the same, you kn-"

"No."

"Why not?"

"I..."

He faltered; something he wasn't used to doing.

He had power, but _freedom_ was not something he had ever allowed himself. He only had who he was. If he changed, if he didn't follow the rules that he'd been taught to live by, he could destory everything that had been build for him, by him. Did she really want him to risk all that for her?

Losing everything he had for a woman was a frightening thought.

But then, as much as Rufus hated to admit it, the thought of losing everything he _had _with her was also most _disconcerting_.

* * * Flashback End * * *

A dull thumping resonated painfully within his skull.

Wait, where was he?

Why did everything feel so fuzzy? His fingertips brushed against something incredibly cold. It was hard. Tiles?

Oh yes, now he remembered. Had he really passed out?

How embarrassing.

And what was his head resting on? The warmth pooling around him was comforting, though he couldn't fathom where it was coming from. It most definitely wasn't the tiles.

They better not have put him on that bed with the Turk.

He tried to open his eyes, but for some reason they resisted. Had they really grown so heavy? Maybe if he just opened them a little, but even that took an awful lot of effort.

Great. His focus was off.

Even his hearing felt muted, as if he were wearing earmuffs. Though of course he would never be seen with a pair of those abhorrently fluffy articles.

A groan rumbled in her throat as his vision finally cleared; the sharp intake of light penetrating his brain was most offensive.

"You probably shouldn't move."

He recognised that voice.

Rufus squinted and soon found himself looking up at a rather familiar face.

"Hello Miss Lockhart."

She smiled weakly.

"Hey."

Her voice sounded so broken.

_Has she been crying?_

It took a few moments for him to realise that she was stroking her fingers through his hair. Had she been doing that since he passed out? His gaze shifted slightly as he tried to watch her almost instinctive movements; the action instantly purveyed as discomfort by the female.

"Sorry."

She darted her eyes away, as a light pink hue rose in her cheeks.

_Damn it. _A while ago he had been _so_ angry at her. At what she was doing to him. But now, he just couldn't help but find her completely endearing.

A small smirk pulled at his lips.

"What are you embarrassed about?"

"I-It's just-"

Her teeth pulled at her bottom lip as her gaze dropped completely; her expression contorting as if she was fighting something inside her. As he watched her he couldn't help but notice the thin sheen of moisture growing beneath her eyelashes.

Rufus might have rolled his eyes if he'd had the energy.

_Oh great, what did I do now?_

She began to tremble, but only for a moment, as her body soon became deathly still; her eyes still cast down, as if she couldn't bear to look at him out of fear of losing her composure.

"Are you feeling ok? I mean...you're gunna be fine, right?"

If he'd been able to, he might have chuckled.

"Why the concern?"

Her gaze shot to meet his own, though it was narrowed out of anger now.

"How could you ask me that? You told me how serious that WEAPON attack was, and you- You could of died!"

This time he did manage a chuckle, though it was very much close to being nothing more than a soft rumble.

_So you do care._

"I just didn't know what to do. I used to be stronger than this. Why am I so pathetic."

She turned her head away and Rufus could feel her body tense around him.

He'd never be able to understand this woman. Not a few hours before all her thoughts were seemingly held by Reno and now, here she was, on the verge of tears because he'd been hurt. He should have been happy. So why wasn't he?

True her emotional responses to things had often disturbed him, but that's who she was. But now she seemed to be almost desperate to deny them; as if they were a weakness to her. Had he really made her feel so pathetic?

Not too long ago he would have revelled at the thought; to bring this woman who treated him with such disrespect to her knees. To make her feel like she was worthless. But he found no joy in this now.

_But, why?_

Why was it that he was hurt so much by her anguish? Why was it that he couldn't bear the idea of her being taken by someone else?

He sat up swiftly; his companion protesting franticly beside him, but he didn't pay her any heed. His body was acting on impulse now. All he knew was that he had to get her out of here.

The young male took a quick glance at the room's other two occupants. The Turk was still lying on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. The 'Doctor' was beside him, phone pressed to his chin in concentration; clearly still trying without success to come to some sort of decision.

Tifa pulled at his sleeve questioningly.

"Hey, Rufus, what's the matter? Are you sure you should be moving like that?"

The young man didn't bother to answer.

He should never have brought her here.

She could get hurt, or worse and that was not an opinion. Not for the sake of that red head. Her worth to Rufus had become unequalled and he was not about to lose her now.

He slowly reach out his hand, and almost silently turned the door handle beside him; the gentle click signalling its opening going very much unnoticed by the 'Doctor' whom was still lost in thought.

His other hand encircled around the young woman's forearm with an almost bruising force. He wasn't going to ask if it was too tight. That didn't matter. He could feel he struggling against him but he was doing this for her own good. Why couldn't she see that? That Turk was bad for her. She would surely thank him later.

A shot of adrenaline rushed through his body as he yanked the female form behind him and slid through the doorway.

_That, _unfortunately, didn't go unnoticed.

Their footsteps barely had the time to echo down the corridor before gun shots filled the air.

* * *

High-pitched ringing of alarms reverberated violently against his eardrums.

"Sir, sir can you hear me?"

He hadn't even felt the bullet penetrate him, but he knew it had. The blood pooling around his body was evidence of that.

_What a poor show Rufus..._

Voices were sounding around him but he couldn't place a single one.

"Get some help down here!"

Had he really gone down so easily? His body truly was a wretched thing sometimes.

And for the second time that day he couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed.

* * *

A/N=

Well I wanted to get this out before my birthday but I went a little crazy with some anime shopping and have had to spend masses of time rearranging my room and buying bookcases to house it all *looks away in shame* though it was all worth it of course XD and then I decided to cut my hair, so I spent a good few days chopping it off, tidying it up and then re-dying it...I took a little too much off but it looks pretty swish :D

Also I had to get over the complete disappointment of all my friends, save one, forgetting my birthday. Yep, that's right, I didn't get a single happy birthday from one friend. My best friend, who was away in Brazil, did spend three hours finding signal to send me a happy birthday text though so that was pretty amazing XD

So onto the chapter!

Flashback time!

I had a lot of fun writing the flashback, especially the cuddly bits, mostly because freaked out/confused Rufus is adorable. I'd imagine he'd have NO idea or history in acting like this with women XD

Once again a large chunk of this chapter got transferred over to the next chapter as it just fitted better, though I still managed to get a lot into this chapter and I'm very happy with the length, because I feel my updates have been lacking a little resonantly.

I know I said all of this was going to be in Rufus's POV but I did switch it around a little in the second section though I felt that was needed, hopefully you guys didn't mind too much...

I really tried to portray Rufus's inability to accept things that are his fault and his need to blame others I tried to avoid him referring to the 'Doctor' as his captor either, as I don't think he'd see him as that, and I don't think he'd want to admit that, at this point, his status had been quashed somewhat. It's a man-power thing XD

I was intending on writing a lemon in the flashback scene but I decided against it...which I think was the right choice. I don't like writing lemons unless it has something specifically to do with the plot. Though at this point I'm unsure as to whether they'll be another before the end...which is coming very soon!

YES THAT'S RIGHT the gun-wielding dude is that annoying doctor whom Tifa took a swing at. If I mention a character once, they usually have something to do with the actual plot ^_^ So he was obviously lying a little in their cafeteria conversation...naughty naughty...

The next chapter will be a mixture of both Tifa's and Rufus's pov and hopefully I'll be getting it out within a week. Yes, that's right, I said a week. I really want to finish this story before I start university so I can relax for the first few weeks!


	30. Ch29:Confusing People&Finale Confessions

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy does not belong to me...however much I may like it to. I own no characters, places etc. etc. so please don't sue me! I'm a nice person :)

Author's Note: Chapter Twenty-Nine...PLEASE review as I really enjoy reading your views and they inspire me to get better! It would make me very very happy! Anyway stop reading this and get on with reading the fic! Hope you enjoy! :)

**_READERS: Any 'gap' or 'space' between lines that looks bigger than normal is actually meant to be a page break (for some reason not all of them are showing up when I post the chapter no matter how hard I try to get them to work (*grumble grumble*), so take that into account ^_^ _**

**Chapter Twenty-Nine: Confusing People and Finale Confessions**

Well this was certainly odd.

Being held prisoner by one's own body was never a particularly enjoyable experience; in fact Rufus found the whole thing rather humiliating.

Everything was so quiet; he hated that too.

He wasn't too keen on the way the nurses insisted upon poking variously sized needles into him every few hours either.

But even so, those things were barely niggling irritations compared to having being stuck sharing a hospital room with _him_.

The red head's fingers tapped down upon the set of buttons within his grasp.

"Nurse, nurse, nurse…NURSE!"

A small, timid looking young male with dusky blonde hair entered the room; apprehension clearly plastered all over his face.

"Yes, Sir?"

The Turk inspected the offering with his eyes, almost as if contemplating him. Eventually he let out a well-held sigh.

"Well you're certainly disappointing; where are all the cute buttons?"

The young nurse looked pretty petrified.

"Erm, excuse me Sir?"

Reno shrugged, his eyes still roaming over the nurse as if hoping the boy would suddenly turn into something else.

"Oh sorry if I offended you, I mean you really are quite pretty for a guy, but I don't think my imagination's that good for me to let you give me a sponge bath."

Ok, _**now**_ the poor boy looked petrified.

"Erm…so…what-what is it that you wa-"

The red headed patient clasped his hands behind his head; his eyes drifting up to the ceiling in thought.

"Hm, well I suppose you could go pick me up some beer, though you look pretty young so maybe not; unless you have fake ID-

His attention dropped back down to the nurse with new found enthusiasm.

" -do you have fake ID?"

My, that man was possibly the most infuriating employee he had ever had; what had compelled him to allow such a disgraceful creature to become part of the Turks?

He blamed Tseng for this.

A soft clicked sounded from the room's door as a very familiar raven-haired male entered.

_Good timing…_

At the mere sight of the tall, brooding Turk the young nurse scurried out; a part of him looking particularly relieved by the interruption.

Reno on the other hand looked most disappointed, but that was hardly a concern.

The Turk gave a greeting nod to the President; completely ignoring the red head; something Rufus couldn't help but find pleasure in.

"How are you feeling today, Sir?"

"I'm quite well, I believe I won't be here for much longer. I trust the company is being looked after well during my absence?"

"Oh yes, yes of course Sir; everything is running smoothly as you'd expect."

"Good, good."

An almost uncomfortable silence washed over the room as Rufus stared at the waiting Turk expectantly.; eventually emitting a attention-drawing cough.

"Tseng…"

"Yes, Sir?"

"Do you have some kind of a report on what happened for me?"

"Oh right-"

The raven-haired Turk, realising why he had come there in the first place, quickly began to retrieve his papered-report from his jacket; though how it fit in there and still remained un-creased was a mystery in itself.

"Ok, some nurses raised the alarm upon hearing the gunshots. When we got there we found that you, Rufus Shinra, had been shot and were in a critical condition, along with the Turk Reno, although the cause of his condition was unidentifiable at the time. Tifa Lockhart was also on the scene, although unharmed. The perpetrator of the 'incident' was apprehended after a short chase, and has since been taken into integration-"

"Bugger me you're one boring dude Tseng, couldn't you report a bit more…dramatically?"

The older male sighed, rolling his eyes over to the red head with the look of a tired parent.

"Reno… are you not meant to be getting some rest; aka not being a nuisance."

The red head shrugged; a giddy expression gracing his features.

"Sorry, but I'm feeling much better now."

The standing Turk raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, thanks to Shinra."

"Yeah yeah yea-"

"Luckily for you our own methods of _persuasion_ were more than enough to get our doctor friend to happily tell us how to cure you."

Reno clasped a hand over his heart dramatically.

"If I could, I'd be grovelling in appreciation."

Rufus's voice broke through the air.

"And what happened to Miss. Lockhart?"

"Ah, she was interviewed about the incident; our only other witnesses being busy fighting for their lives. After we were sure we'd received all the information we needed and that she was unharmed, we allowed her to return home."

She hadn't even visited.

"I see."

Tseng returned his report to the lining of his jacket before giving a parting nod to the President.

"Well I must get back to Shinra Headquarters, but I'm glad to see you're on the mend."

"Hm"

"I do hope to see you back at the office soon Sir, but in the meantime-"

He moved back towards the book before turned the handle and making to leave, but not before adding a final blow.

"-I'm sure the two of you can keep each other company."

Tseng's knowing smirk was highly irritating.

* * *

He didn't have to open his own eyes in order to see the glare directed upon him; he could feel it well enough as it was.

Why did that tiresome red head have to survive anyway? He was always getting in the way, whether it was on purpose or not.

At least he could take comfort in the fact that Miss. Lockhart hadn't come to visit the Turk either.

Rufus sighed with an almost defeatist attitude, opening his resting eyes to gaze wearily at his room-partner opposite him.

"You know, that's highly unsettling."

The red head shrugged nonchalantly; though his attentions seemed to drift towards the ceiling.

Silence once again settled upon the room, though it was not to last for long; Rufus had a pressing matter to discuss with him and he couldn't bear the tight, uncomfortable pressure that it caused him to keep it restrained.

"So, do you plan to interfere with myself and Miss. Lockhart?"

The question didn't seem to take the red head by surprise, though that wasn't to say he was pleased to hear it either. He just seemed, well, almost disappointed.

He turned towards the President, with no hint of humorous intent in his eye.

"Depends on what you mean by interfere…"

Well he certainly wasn't making this conversation easy on the young blonde. Rufus wasn't sure whether it was because he had been ladled with drugs or because he was being deprived of her, but a part of him just wanted so badly to lay this situation to rest; he'd had enough of fighting for her.

"Do you love Miss. Lockhart?"

Reno's cheeks flushed and he started twitching uncomfortably; this question _**had **_taken him by surprise.

"Well, I…I don't know-I mean I suppose I might, but that's not really the point is it?"

A short, soft chuckle arose in Rufus's throat, though there was no mockery in it.

"I see."

Reno expression was not so much downcast as it was ponderous as he drew his gaze to the window.

"Listen Boss, I don't plan on getting in your way. I haven't been myself lately; but this isn't my choice to make, it's Tifa's. Even if I don't agree with you two being together it is not my place to decide."

"So you don't like me and Tifa being together then?"

The young Turk turned back towards his boss; his glowing aquamarine eyes fixed resolutely upon Rufus's.

"To be honest, I hate the idea."

And he was serious, anyone could tell that, but perhaps that didn't mean that much in the grand scheme of things. Reno was bound to dislike the thought of Tifa being with such a man, but just because he didn't want such a thing to occur didn't mean it could not.

The red head began sigh; a small sense of laughter lining his words.

"But I suppose you hate many a thing about me."

"Of course, how could I not?"

Another silence graced their presence, with this one being much longer than before; it seemed both were considering what the other had said.

Eventually it was Reno who seemed to come to some sort of dead end in his thought track.

"So… if you don't like me so much, why don't you just have me fired?"

Rufus's natural reaction was to laugh.

_Well that's a stupid question to ask your boss…_

Even with that being the case, he couldn't help but humour the young red head with an answer; after all, even he had often wondered why he hadn't just had the boy thrown off the nearest cliff.

"Because you a_re _good at your job...though sometimes it's difficult to notice your skills when you persist on acting like such a child."

"You're one to talk."

Reno gasped at his own emission; even he knew that was a dangerous thing to say. He supposed he could be thankful that his boss was currently tucked up in a bed. But it turned out he didn't have to worry about his outspokenness at all, for Rufus's response was not one that he would have predicted.

"Yes, perhaps I have been rather _reckless_ of late."

"Woah…"

The President turned to view his room-partner, only to find him narrow-eyed and open-mouthed.

"What is it?"

"This is weirding me out Sir."

"How so?"

"Well you're being all..._weird_."

"I believe people use the term 'agreeable'."

"Yeah, well 'agreeable' on you equals 'weird'."

Rufus's brow creased.

"You are most confusing..."

"Just how much morphine has the doctor been giving you?

"Be quiet."

* * *

Days passed slowly for Rufus, and although he gained strength with every sunrise, the doctors still refused him leave.

"Do you really think that's a good idea?"

The red head viewed his room-partner with mild interest, as the fair-haired male pulled himself from his bed and attempted to pull on a robe of sorts whilst leaning heavily on a walking cane.

"Reno, I need to get out of this bed."

"You were shot dude, maybe you should-"

Rufus turned to face the watching red head with a look of utter annoyance.

"Listen to me you foul little thing, if I have to stay one more moment strapped to this bed with you as a conversation partner, I will be the one doing the shooting."

* * *

The hospital floor was strange on his feet. It wasn't cold though, in fact it was almost too warm. Maybe he just wasn't used to the sensation of walking this freely.

That being said he couldn't help but feel that a percentage of his liberty was being withheld by the cane grasped in his hand; it reminded him far too much of that damned wheelchair.

My, what had possessed him to be so reckless? Was it really just to protect that woman? He couldn't help it though; it was just instinct.

But why did he have to be put in that situation to begin with, it wasn't fair! And now she hadn't even bothered to see him, he had been hurt and she wasn't even there; perhaps she had been using him for her own games. What was the point of going through all of this if he was just going to lose her now? Should he chase her? No, that would be too demeaning for him; he was the President of Shinra after all.

_Stupid woman, why does she have to be so-_

"Ru-Rufus?"

_That voice…_

His head swung around to the point of the voice's origin.

She looked so beautiful; he couldn't help but stare.

* * *

"Rufus…"

He continued to gaze at her, his brow creasing slightly; what was he supposed to do when faced with her all this. He had been so confused, so angry, so-

But how could any of that matter now that she stood so near to him? How could any of it matter when she looked like that?

_But I-_

He swiftly turned his eyes from her, and with a twist of his body he was soon making his way as best he could away from the young brunette. It didn't take more than a moment for her to start giving chase.

His cane pressed upon the floor with a great deal of force as he attempted to launch himself forward, though maybe in hindsight that was not the smartest technic as the cane's base soon found itself on a rather well-polished piece of tile.

The sudden movement from the cane forced his hand from its handle and he found his legs giving way below him.

A pair of small, but firm hands clasped themselves around him; pulling him steady against their owner's body.

"_Get off me_."

He struggled from her grasp before propping himself up against the wall.

"What do you think you're doing Rufus!"

His voice was halted by the breath caught in his throat, and he found himself unable to answer his saviour.

"Rufus?"

He couldn't bear to look her in the eye; the frailty that was found there was not something he wished to share.

"You shouldn't see me like this."

Tifa huffed in exasperation, crossing her arms in an almost child-like anger and after only a moment of silence she sighed and her voice became coated in something very close to endearment.

"Idiot."

* * *

They'd been sitting there for at least thirty minutes now and both were yet to say one word to each other.

Tifa had practically dragged him from that wall and the pair had somehow managed to end up on some kind of balcony, though it was hardly like any balcony Rufus was used to and the air whipping against him had a rather unpleasant sting to it.

At least the mixture of bird calls, rustling trees and traffic was enough to drown out the silence that was being held between them.

Rufus's gaze drifted carefully over to the young woman. She looked well; in fact she was almost glowing. Her hair hung around her gently flushed cheeks with a delicacy only she was able to pull off and-

_That clip…_

Nestled behind her ear was a group of beautifully crafted emerald green butterflies.

She noticed him noticing and a warm smile graced her lips.

"You remember…"

A chuckle rose in his throat.

"How could I not?"

That clip could be blamed for the start of all of this; though if he started accusing hair decorations for him getting shot people might think he'd finally lost it.

"Who _did_give you that item anyway Miss. Lockhart?"

"Yuffie"

Relief spread across his face as an airy sigh escaped his lips.

"Oh, good."

The young lady began to smirk playfully.

"Why, were you feeling a need to be jealous?"

"Perhaps."

The wind stirred around the openings of Rufus's pristine white hospital robes; the material all too thin to retain any warmth.

"You didn't visit."

"Did you want me to?"

Rufus sighed; this time it was his turn to be exasperated

"You're just as confusing as Reno."

The young woman rose; taking a few steps forward before leaning herself against the railing, her back facing him.

"I rang the hospital every day to check on you were ok."

Her fingers wrapped themselves around the top of the railing as she leant her body away from the edge her head tilting backwards slightly, allowing the gentle wind to work through her deep brown locks.

"Plus, Tseng had told me of your' room arrangement' with Reno and I didn't want to cause any more disruption between you two."

"Hmph, you think highly of yourself."

She swung her head even further backwards in order to gain some sort of eye contact.

"I'm right though aren't I?"

"Perhaps."

With her head still bend back, the young woman's eyes wandered away from him and towards the sky above.

"So, erm… how are things with you and Reno?"

"He's doing as he's told."

Tifa began to giggle lightly.

"Well that doesn't sound like him…"

Silence.

Tifa, rather abruptly swung herself forward, and for a moment Rufus's breath caught in his throat as he began to believe she may just topple over the railing itself; though he was only allowed to worry for a moment as she stopped firmly in place. In fact her body remained so still it was almost as if she had been frozen.

Her hair seemed to be the only part of her moving as it ever so delicately played about in the breeze.

"You know, I think there may be a good chance that I've fallen in love with you…"

Rufus's grip upon his cane tightened.

"I see."

The young woman's head bowed ever so slightly. Her body seemed to become smaller as her arms brought themselves closer together and her form curled defensively.

"Oh. I guess that's ok, I mean if you don't-"

_Damn._

He pulled himself to his feet, and hastily staggered forwards towards her.

"It's just, I've never been in love before, how do I know if I am or not? How do you tell!"

Tifa began to turn, and as she did so, the young man tumbled forwards, catching himself this time using the railing either side of her hips; encasing her between his arms as his cane fell to the floor with a clatter.

His lips parted as hastened breath passed in and out of his throat.

"How?"

She couldn't help but giggle, as her gaze flickered up to meet his.

"You're so cute sometimes."

Rufus's eyebrow cocked.

"I find that very insulting Miss. Lockhart."

The young brunette sighed and rested her forehead against his chest.

"You really need to learn to call me Tifa."

His lips curled into a warm smirk, as he tapped at her chin with a finger; directing her to look at him.

"Fine. Tifa, you know there are some things I can never give you. Not because I'm not perfect obviously, but rather because you're so difficult-"

"Rufus..."

"I suppose what I mean to say is: do you still want to be with me?"

She pulled back from his chest to look at him, her head tilting slightly as she spoke; her crimson-flecked eyes warming oh so gently.

"We change each other; I'd like to see what happens next."

"Thank you."

"What do you-"

She'd forgotten her question in a moment as her lips were pulled into a kiss that was brimming with such affection and sincerity that for a moment she doubted it was even Rufus Shinra she was with.

When she was released her gaze was met with his own; the icy blue exterior usually seemed so sharp, but she just couldn't see them that way anymore. She was in love with him after all.

Tifa didn't need to know why he'd thanked her. Her head nestled back into his chest, being careful not to be too rough. She breathed in deeply; even in these hospital robes, his scent still remained, and it was still so strangely comforting.

"Are you uncomfortable with this?"

He shrugged ever so slightly.

"With what?"

"With..._this_."

Rufus paused for a moment, though the tone of his response was that of absolute honesty.

"No."

He pulled his companion closer, still steadying himself with one hand upon the railing.

"Just don't expect me to do this in public."

* * *

Back in the hospital room, the young red hand began tapping upon his assistance button with much ferocity.

"Nurse!"

He'd been alone in this room for over three hours now, and that damned blonde hadn't come back.

"NURSE!"

The door swung open and the same timid little 'thing' for earlier scurried in, looking very much apprehensive.

"Yes?"

"Do you know where my room-partner's go to? He's been gone for ages! Not that I'm worried about him, but...you know...he's the one who pays me so-"

"Oh, you mean Mr. Shinra? I believe he had a visitor, a Miss. Lockhart-"

"Ah, crap!"

The nurse jumped at the outburst.

"Sir?"

"That President is one crafty little bastard..."

"Are you ok Sir?"

Reno huffed deeply, swinging his head back against the pillow.

"I bet they're kissing...are they kissing?"

The young man began to back away from his patient.

"I'll just go get you some water Sir..."

The nurse wasted no time in getting as far away from the Turk as possible, and most likely held no intention to retrieve any water. But that didn't really matter. Reno was far to busy muttering to himself.

"They're totally kissing."

* * *

A/N=

Ok, this update took a little longer than expected…well perhaps a lot longer would be more appropriate. University just kinda crept up on me and before I knew it I was under a pile of assignments and they took priority! Though I do apologise for how long this took me to get out… on the plus side I was elected Student Representative, and I got A's in all of my work ^_^

Now onto the chapter...

Yes, that's right, it's THE END!

I wanted to make this chapter feel 'simple' in a way and keep the sections very 'slice' like, now that all the action was over everything was able to fall into place as I felt we wrapped up a lot of the issues with Tifa and Rufus quite a few chapters ago there were only a few strings left to be tied up; you may have noticed I didn't wrap up everything but I wanted to leave this fic open to a sequel so that if the mood took me I could always pick up the story and explore more possibilities for it later on ^^

I have been writing an epilogue of sorts, but I'm not sure whether to post it or not; it'll depend on how you readers feel and how the epilogue turns out ^_^

I never knew how popular this fic was going to become, so I just want to thank everyone and just hope that my next RufusxTifa project will be just as enjoyable and hopefully 10 x better!

Speaking of my next fic I have a few drabbles I need to catch up on writing, but I have a bigger and I think much more interesting RufusxTifa story that I've been planning for quite a while now. I'll be busy with University for the next few months, but I'm lucky and have almost 3 months for my summer holiday, starting in Easter so I'll probably post the first few chapters sometime around then.


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